A Ph.D Paper/Dissertation/Thesis
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS,
EBONYI STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IKWO
Abstract
This paper was set to establish that it is only education empowered by relevant curriculum that would solve the problem of climate change in Nigeria. Curriculum development in Nigeria was traced to the era of traditional education.
The present curriculum was faulted for not containing knowledge about climate change and as such cannot offer education needed to over come the trend which has recently become a serious global problem. A curriculum on climate change was developed for the basic education level while the paper recommended among others that government should urgently set up expertise committee to develop curriculum on climate change for the nation’s educational systems.
Introduction
The first system of education in Nigeria was the traditional education otherwise referred to by scholars as informal education. It was called informal education because it was not rigidly contextualized with pre-planned, well developed curriculum and curriculum materials. Even at that, the traditional education curriculum was comprehensive, relevant and functional that it adequately met the needs of the time. Offorma (1994) argued that its content reflected the climatic, physical and biological environment of the locality as well as what was passed on the succeeding generation by the predecessors. Traditional education curriculum emphasized intimacy with social life both in material and spiritual sense. It was adequately fashioned to take care of the child’s physical, mental and emotional development. Ughamadu (1992) asserted that traditional education curriculum was an all embracing one as it involved civic education, vocational, religion, health and physical education and skill acquisition.
Subsequently, the coming of the missionaries and establishment of western education led to inception of denominationally based type of curriculum which was virtually poor in content. This poor curricular content, poor quality of teachers and teaching were the main reason for the 1882 education ordinance which among other things aimed at standardizing the curriculum to ensure quality and relevance (Ezeuwa, 2005). Mkpa and Izuagba (2004) maintained that despite this effort, the curriculum was still narrow and defective as it did not reflect the needs of the society.
Similarly, recommendation of Ashby Commission in 1959 which sought to determine the manpower needs of the country for a particular period led to curriculum reforms. Despite these reforms, the curriculum was still defective and irrelevant to the experiential background of the learner. Subsequent developments led to the development of post independence curriculum that principally emphasized 6-3-3-4- system of education. The nature of the curriculum was captured in the following statements,
The content of the school curriculum remained the same, the duration was not altered and the curriculum focused on socializing the students in a bookish academic type of education which unconsciously exposed the learners to a hidden aesthetic preference in art and literature and belief in superiority of British political institution (Uruh 1995:95)
The above opinion was collaborated in this observation:
No doubt the curriculum of 6-3-3-4 system of education is a master piece, but considering the fact that the society is dynamic just like the people in it, many people today seem to feel that the curriculum is defective as there are gaps between the expected and the status quo, (Mkpa, et al, 2004 p.39).
There have arisen emergent societal problems demanding curriculum attention such as HIV/AIDS pandemic, girl-child education in the northern Nigeria, environmental education and above all climate change which has become a national problem.
The issue of climate change came up in the early 19th century when it was suspected that natural changes in pale-climate had occurred just as at the same time the natural green house effect was identified (Pembina Institute,2012). By the 20th century, scientists had argued that human emissions of greenhouse gases could change the climate. While the details of the calculations were being disputed in 1950s and 1960s, the calculation of the warming effect of carbon dioxide emissions became increasingly convincing (Pembina Institute, 2012). According to Pembina Institute (2012), some scientists pointed out those human activities in the form of atmospheric aerosols such as pollution could have cooling effects as well. These scientific opinions increasing favored the warming view point in the 70s. By 1980s consensus was reached that human activity was in the process of warming the climate, leading to the modern period of global warming science. That is the basis of the phenomenal climate change which is today a serious educational concern.
Concept of Curriculum and Climate Change
Offorma (1994) viewed curriculum as the organized knowledge presented to learners in a school which covers every element in the learning environment such as the subject matter to be learned, the students, the teachers and the physical environment. But Toffler (1971) defined curriculum as the planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experience under the auspices of the school for the learner’s continuous and purposeful growth in personal social competence. Mkpa et al (2004) saw curriculum as a body of knowledge that is sacrosanct, a plan for actors, a race experience, a guide learning experience, a learning structure and a reconstruction of knowledge and experience. Curriculum can therefore be defined as a highly organized body of knowledge reconstructed to guide both learning experience and intended learning outcome.
Climate change is defined by World Meteorological Organization (2012) as a significant and la
sting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over period of time. Similarly, Cummings (2012) defined climate change as the average weather of the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period ranging from months to thousands or millions of years. These qualities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind (Cummings 2012).
Causes of Climate Change
United States of America Environmental protection agency (2010) identified two major causes of climate change as natural and human.
1. Human Causes: People change the climate with actions that create emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. According to Selby (2001) 4 percent of CO2 emissions are caused by individuals mostly from energy used in the home, driving and air travel. Succinctly put, human activity is changing the amount of green house gases in the atmosphere in three different ways. They include.
A Burning fossil fuels to create energy used for many things including
· Heating homes and buildings
· Growing, transporting and cooking food
· Traveling such as by car, plane, bus and train
· Treating water to make it drinkable
· Manufacturing
· Generating electricity
B Deforestation:- This is cutting down forests faster than they are replaced. Rist (1997) argued that cutting down of trees and shrubs without replacing them accounts for about 20 percent of human carbon emissions more than the whole world transport sector produce.
C Growing world population:- The population of the world has astronomically grown in recent times leading to more human activity. There is therefore increase in demand of energy and consequently increased emissions.
2 Natural Causes
Tibury (2001) enumerated natural causes of climate change as volcanic eruption, ocean current, the earth’s orbital changes and solar variations.
(a) Volcanic eruption:- Volcanic eruption throws out a large volumes of sulphur dioxide (S02), water vapour, dust and ash into the atmosphere causing atmospheric cooling.
(b) Ocean currents move vast amount of heat across the planet
(c) Earth’s orbital changes can lead to extremely warm or cold atmosphere
(d) Solar variations which are changes in the sun’s energy output.
Consequences of Climate Change
Global climate change has some notable negative effects on the environment. These, according to WMO (2012) are likely to be significant and increase over time. Nhamon (2005) enumerated some of the consequences of climate change to include;
1 Increased incidence of extreme high sea level
2 More frequent hot days and nights, heat waves, droughts and,
3 Increase in global areas affected by drought. This has hampered agricultural production in some places especially African countries where between 75 and 250 million people are presently at the danger of dieing of starvation. United Nations (2002) projected that most African countries by the year 2020 would be exposed to increased climate change effects such as water stress and 50 percent reduction yields from rain-fed agriculture.
4 Increase in intense tropical cyclone activity.
5 Increase in diseases associated with floods and droughts.
6 Heavy precipitation leading to flooding.
7 Desertification.
Humanity seems to be at the verge of extinction if nothing reasonable is done to checkmate the incidence of climate change. There may be no better way of fighting this issue than through education. Most nations of the world appear to be doing something resolute to combat the menace. Cummings (2012) wrote that the United States of America would urgently design primary school curriculum on climate change. A similar curriculum had been designed for its post primary and tertiary education levels (Cummings, 2012).
Nigeria needs to solve climate change related problems which are already prevalent. Uyigue (2009) pointed out some climate change problems in Nigeria to include:
(a) Flooding especially in the Niger Delta Region.
(b) Erosion: uprooting settlements, loss of oil wells and loss of coastal vegetation such as mangroves.
(c) Rising sea level
(d) Intrusion of sea-water into fresh water sources and ecosystems destroying such stabilizing system as mangrove, and affecting agriculture, fisheries and general livelihoods due to inundation arising from the rise in sea level.
Nigeria will lose about $9 billion as a result of the sea level rise while at least 80% of the people of the Niger Delta will be displaced due to the low level of the region. In Northern Nigeria, climate change will lead to increased aridity and desertification while it will lead to flooding in the southern part of the country (Uyigue, 2009)
These myriads of climate change problems call for the restructuring of our education system towards surmounting them. There should be a curriculum at all levels of education in Nigeria to offer knowledge on climate change. This paper is therefore set to suggest subject areas that should be integrated into basic education curriculum as a panacea to climate change in Nigeria.
A 9-YEAR BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM STRUCTURE COVERING SOME SUBJECTS RELEVANT TO CLIMATE CHANGE
|
Basic Education Curriculum Levels |
Subject |
Objective |
Scheme/Activity/Task |
|
Low Basic Education Primary 1-3 |
Basic Science and Technology |
The subject provides pupils with appropriate experiences in science and technology as it relates to the environment |
Area of Coverage: 1. you and environment 2. Living and non-living things 3. You and technology 4. You and energy |
|
Social Studies |
Pupils will be exposed to issues of topical and personal interest relating to their environment |
Area of Coverage: 1. Nature of the environment 2. How changes occur in the environment 3. weather observation 4. Types of seasons |
|
|
Agriculture |
The subject provides pupils with experiences about the means of production of the food they eat |
Area of Coverage: 1. things we eat 2. Agriculture and seasons of the year 3. Land and sea food |
|
|
Physical and Health Education |
Pupils will be exposed to the relationship between sports healthy living and the environment |
Area of Coverage: 1. Types of sporting activities 2. Appropriate weather conditions for sporting activities 3. Weather seasons and the food we eat. 4. Safety in sports based on weather and play ground |
|
|
Middle Basic Education Primary 4-6 |
Basic Science and Technology |
The subject provides pupils with appropriate experience in science and technology as it relates to environment and climate change |
Area of Coverage: 1. The environment and changes that occur 2. Reversible and irreversible change 3. Keeping warm 4. How weather contributes to changes 5. Changes due to climate. |
|
Social Studies |
Pupils will be exposed to issues and past necessary for their understanding changes that occur in the society |
Areas coverage: 1. Atmospheric condition of my area in the past and now. 2. Similarities and difference between then and now 3. The impact of the changing climate patterns |
|
|
Agriculture |
Pupils are Exposed to the relationship between the climate and food production |
Area of Coverage: 1. Weather Observation- types of climate 2. The soil and food production 3. Water ways-sea, rivers and springs. 4. Drought and irrigation 5. Flood and agricultural practices |
|
|
Physical and Health education |
Pupils explore how climate change affects sporting activities and health living |
Area of Coverage: 1. How weather condition affects sports 2. How climate change affect sports facilities 3. Ideal food for climate seasons 4. Climate condition and food production 5. Diseases due to changes in climate |
|
|
Upper Basic Education Jss1-3 |
Basic Science |
This subject will help the children to focus their attention on finding the answer to environmental questions |
Area of Coverage: 1. What is climate change? 2. Causes of climate change 3. Consequences of climate change 4. Global warming how to fix it. 5. Changes of state or material e.g. on heating and cooking, dissolving reacting. Children to classify them into reversible and irreversible changes |
|
Social Studies |
This will help the children to develop ideas about weather conditions around the locality |
Area of Coverage: 1. Climate around my country 2. Improving the environment: children use the school buildings, grounds and immediate locality to investigate environmental issues and improvements. 3. Relationship between weather and tourism and other forms of human activity e.g. occupations, settlement, transport, etc. |
|
|
Basic Technology |
Children will be exposed to appropriate experience in science and technology to enable them live effectively within the global community |
The following topics should be activity based. Children should participate actively in discussing and relating them to real life experience 1. What is technology? 2. You and technology 3. What is energy? 4. You and energy |
|
|
Agriculture |
Children will be exposed to impact of climate change on agricultural practices |
Area of Coverage: 1. What is erosion? 2. Causes of erosion 3. Impacts of erosion 4. Erosion and climate change 5. Climate change and soil organisms 6. Drought and food production 7. Impact of flood in Agricultural practices. |
|
|
Physical and Health Education |
Children will be exposed to the negative impact of pollution resulting from climate change. |
1. Pollution 2. Water pollution 3. Impact of climate change on pollution lesson should be practically presented with the learners fully participating |
Conclusion
This paper traced the origin of curriculum to the era of traditional education. The concepts of curriculum and climate change were discussed. It was established that the problem of climate change could only be adequately addressed through education empowered by a relevant curriculum. The curriculum presently available to Nigeria educational system was seen as lacking in the area of knowledge of and how to tackle the problem of climate change. A curriculum on climate change would fit this present period hence a Basic Education climate change curriculum design
Recommendation
The paper recommended the following based on the issues raised
· Government should as a matter of urgency set up a committee whose membership are curriculum experts to draw a befitting curriculum on climate change for all levels of the nation’s education system.
· Teachers should be trained on how to handle climate change related lessons
· Government should ensure that instructional materials necessary for implementing climate change curriculum are available
· Nigeria citizens should be given proper orientation on how to avoid activities inimical to the environment.
References
Cummings, M. (2012). Climate and the society. Retrieved on 10/08/2012 from http://www.willwtegerfoundation.org/summer-institute.
Ezeuwa, L. (2005). Issues in educational management. Engugu: Hipkus Additional press
Mkpa, M.A. and Izuagba, A.C. (2004). Curriculum studies and innovation. Enugu: Book-Konsult.
Nhamon, G. (2005). Environmental policy process surrounding South Africa’s bags regulations: tensions, debates and responses in waste product regulation. Unpublished PhD thesis, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Offorma, G.C. (1994). Curriculum implementation and instruction. Onitsha: Uni-world educational publishers (Nig) Ltd.
Pembina institute (2012). The climate change awareness and action education kit. Retrieved 10/08/2012 from (http://www.pembina.org/publicationitem.asp?id=9)
Rist, G. (1997). The history of development. London: Now York, zed Books.
Selby, D. (2001). The need for climate change in education. Stoke –on-trent: Trentham.
Tibury, D. (2001). Reconceptualizing environmental education for a new century in Spain. Mexico: ministry of environment
Toffler, A. (1971). Future shock. London: Pan
Ughamadu, L.A. (1992). Curriculum, concepts, development and implementation. Onitsha: Emlia printing and publishing company
United Nations (2002). World summit on sustainable development. New York: united nations
United States Environmental protection Agency (2010). Exploring climate change impacts. Retrieved on 14/07/2012 from (http://www.climatehotmap.org/curriculum/index.html)
Uruh, G. (1995). Curriculum innovation. New York: Rinehart
Uyigue, E. (2009). The changing climate and the Niger Delta. Retrieved on 24/08/2012 from www.credcentre.org
World Meteorological Organization (2012). Global weather and climate extremes, Retrieved on 24/08/2012 from www.wmo.int/../index-en.html.
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