Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Towards Energy and Climate Change Literacy among Primary and Middle School Teachers

Abstract

Energy and climate change literacy is high on the agenda in the education sector, including in the contexts of primary and middle schools. Energy and climate literacy efforts, when combined and ideally infused throughout the curriculum, are believed to address the causes, effects, and risks of climate change and appreciate the range of options to minimize negative impacts and maximize resilience. It is also believed that environmental and climate change education goals cannot be achieved without knowledgeable and committed teachers. With this understanding, the present study sought to assess the energy and climate change literacy among primary and middle school teachers in selected cities in Ethiopia. The primary and middle schools in five cities, namely, Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Hawassa, Diredawa, and Jimma were the sites of this study. The sampled schools and respondents were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Quantitative survey data were collected using knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire items. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and ANOVA. The findings indicate that while teachers' knowledge of the fundamentals of climate change and climate science is relatively low, their performance on the facts and principles behind the use of energy resources and their utilization is quite promising. It is also found that teachers seemed to have unsatisfactory views about issues related to the production and use of energy resources. On the other hand, the participants of this study reported a great deal of engagement in most of the energy and environmental protection activities. The Ministry of Education should have to work to enhance primary and middle school teachers' awareness and competence on energy and climate change.