Stakeholders' engagement with integration of environmental Education in the Zambian school curriculum

Abstract

The study aimed at examining key stakeholders' engagement with the integration of Environmental Education (EE) in the Zambian School Curriculum. The objectives of the study were to: determine actions of key stakeholders towards integration of EE in the curriculum, examine the contribution of such actions towards the integration of EE in the school curriculum, assess whether or not key stakeholders collaborated towards the integration of EE in the school curriculum and suggest best practices for integrating EE in the school curriculum. The study used a qualitative approach and a descriptive case study design involving three selected secondary schools of Chilanga district was employed. The target population was the University of Zambia (UNZA), Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection (MoWDSEP), Ministry of General Education (MoGE), Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) officials, secondary school managers and teachers. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents. Data was collected using semi structured interviews, focus group discussions and non- participant observations. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis and validated using in between method of triangulation. Results showed that key stakeholders were involved in a number of actions towards the integration of EE in the curriculum. The contribution of most of such actions was however, found to be limited mainly due to underutilization. With regards to collaboration, the study found that stakeholders’ collaboration towards EE was poor. Stakeholders merely informed each other most of the times and did not truly involve or engage with each other. In conclusion, the study showed that stakeholders’ engagement towards EE integration in the Zambian school curriculum was poor. Based on these findings, it was recommended that key stakeholders needed to engage in monitoring and evaluation of EE and in developing an effective communication strategy to ensure that actions were fully utilized and collaboration enhanced respectively. Keywords: Environmental Education, collaboration and stakeholder engagement.