MST-Department of Environmental Education

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Browsing MST-Department of Environmental Education by Author "Kerich, Richard Kimutai"

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    Assessing Women Domestic Chores and Vulnerability to Climate Variability in Chepseon Sub location, Nakuru County, Kenya
    (2014-02-19) Koskei, Nancy Chebet; Kerich, Richard Kimutai; Koske, James K.A.
    Climate change is a major challenge of mankind in the 21st century. While climate change existed even in the pre-industrial era, recent trends exacerbated by human activities have raised global concern that climate change is threatening the achievement of sustainable development. While effects of climate change have been experienced all over the world, developing countries will be hardest hit because this is where millions of the world‟s poorest people are already being forced to cope with its impacts, yet they contributed less to historic GHG emissions. Kenya is vulnerable to climate change because most of her people‟s economic activities are dependent on climate sensitive natural resources. This study was done to assess women domestic chores and vulnerability to climate variability in Chepseon sub location, Nakuru County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine climate variability from 1982-2011, to find out if there was a relationship between climate variability awareness and women‟s level of education and to investigate adaptive strategies that women had in place to cushion them from climate variability in Chepseon Sub location, Nakuru County of Kenya. Descriptive survey was used to solicit data on women‟s domestic chores and their vulnerability to climate variability. A sample size of 90 households was selected through stratified random sampling. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Climate variability data spanning 1982 to 2011 were obtained from Kenya Meteorological Department. Results were discussed and presented as descriptive statistics in tables and graphs. Annual precipitation trend showed a general increase from 1071.5mm in the year 1982 to 1106.5mm in the year 2011. Five year moving averages also showed variability in the amounts of rainfall received, with the first five years rising from 900.54mm to 918.60mm in the next five years then decreasing to 797.96mm in the next five years that followed. Average rainfall then rose to 913.24mm in the next five year. The years 2002-2011 indicated a relative increase in the average annual precipitation from 1018.98mm to 1087.24mm. This trend showed variability of rainfall over the years which were also unpredictable. Temperature analysis also showed variability in both minimum and maximum temperatures. The mean monthly minimum temperature depicted a positive trend from 10.39˚C in the month of January to 10.64˚C in the month of December while the mean monthly maximum temperature depicted a negative trend from 27.3˚C in the month of January to 25.73˚C in the month of December over the 30 year period. Chi-square test results indicated that there was no significant relationship between the level of education and climate variability awareness among the respondents in Chepseon sub location (2 =2.595, df= 4, 89 and p=0.458). Majority (49%) of those that were aware of climate variability had only completed primary school level. The possible explanation for this was that they could not gain access to formal employment and could only carry out domestic chores which involved using natural resources that were at risk of climate variability. Climate variability was experienced in Chepseon sub location and women were not well adapted to changes in climatic conditions. Awareness on the causes and consequences of climate variability should be made in order to sensitize women on its‟ challenges and the possible ways of adapting to it.
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    Challenges and opportunities of teaching environmental education in secondary schools in Kenya: the case of Ruiru district
    (2014-01-31) Ng'ang'a, Nancy N.; Kerich, Richard Kimutai; Koech, Michael K.
    The primary objective of this study was to investigate the challenges faced and opportunities available in the teaching and learning of Environmental Education in secondary schools in Kenya using Ruiru District in Central Province as a case study. This was achieved by analysing the secondary school syllabi for selected environment related subjects, namely biology, chemistry, geography and agriculture to establish the elements of EE infused therein. The methods used to teach these elements, the preparedness of teachers to handle them, availability of teaching and learning resources as well as the attitudes of both teachers and students towards EE were also investigated. The target population was the 15 secondary schools in Ruiru district which was a division at the time of the study. A sample of ISO form three students was taken from five randomly selected schools in the division together with 20 teachers of environment related subjects making a total of 170 subjects. Data were collected using questionnaires, attitude scale tests and content analysis of the secondary school syllabi of the selected EE related subjects. Data from questionnaires and attitude scale tests were coded then scored for analysis while data from content analysis of the selected subject syllabi were summarised in tables to show the particular EE related topic and the EE objectives therein. The results are presented in text and tabular form and analysed by use of percentages, means and frequency tables. The findings of the study established that though EE is adequately incorporated in the secondary school syllabi of subjects studied; various challenges are faced by the teachers in the teaching of EE elements in these subjects. These challenges include, fragmentation of EE themes in the various subjects, inadequate instructional materials, inadequate training of teachers to handle EE related topics in their subject areas and over-reliance on the lecture method of teaching among others. However, attitudes of both teachers and students to EE were found to be highly positive with 90% of teachers and 98% scoring above the mean score in the attitude Scale tests. From the research findings, major recommendations such as adequate provision of instructional materials, a review of pre- and in-service EE programmes for teachers as well as regular monitoring oLEE programmes among others were made. The findings of the study and the accompanying recommendations will no doubt prove invaluable to curriculum developers and policy makers in the country.
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    Contributions of conservation Education Centres Towards Sustainable Environmental Awareness in Schools, A Case of Giraffe Centre Nairobi County
    (2014-02-22) Njagi, Gathuku George; Kerich, Richard Kimutai; Gichuki, Cecilia Muringo
    The purpose of the study was to evaluate the contributions of conservation education ncentres in creating awareness to promote sustainable environmental conservation in schools. In this regard, public education is critical in raising levels of awareness in environmental conservation. The results of this study will contribute to future review and improvement of environmental education and awareness programmes offered by other conservation education centres. A descriptive survey design was adopted targeting pupils, administrators and teachers from 26 out of 205 primary schools in Nairobi County. Purposive sampling was used to select 16 schools that have participated in the Giraffe Centre’s environmental education programmes while simple random sampling was used to select 10 schools that had not participated in the same. One hundred and thirty (130) pupils, 26 administrators and 42 teachers from the selected schools were sampled. Questionnaires designed for pupils and teachers/administrators plus a checklist was used as the main tools for data collection. Quantitative data collected was coded and entered into an SPSS programme (version 17) for analysis. Qualitative data was put under themes consistent with the research objectives. Pearson’s coefficient of correlation (r) was also used to analyze data at 0.05 level of significance. Results were presented by use of tables, pie-charts and bar graphs. Results show that the EE and Awareness programmes offered at the Giraffe Centre are relevant to the school curriculum; these programmes help pupils to actualize what they learn in theory. Results further show that the environmental knowledge retained by pupils regardless of age or gender was statistically significant (0.9203 ± 1.28) for trained schools versus (1.4977 ± 1.28) for untrained schools (t (128) = 8.287, P = 0.51). The study further revealed that the schools environmental status regardless of their status and location was statistically significant (-0.6848 ± 0.25) for trained schools versus (1.8148 ± 0.25) for untrained schools t (25) = 0.931, P = 0.133) as simple conservation measures could be taken. By implication, these findings show that the environmental education and awareness programmes offered by the Giraffe Centre impart sustainable environmental conservation skills to pupils and teachers, but there is need for the Giraffe Centre to develop an EE and ESD curriculum and accredit the teachers’ workshops through affiliation with one of the local universities for credibility.
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    Impact of Drought on Primary Schools Learning in Laikipia West District of Laikipia County, Kenya
    (2014-02-22) Gitau, David Ndichu; Kerich, Richard Kimutai; Gichuki, Cecilia Muringo
    Laikipia West district receives between 500 mm and 950mm of rainfall annually. It is therefore, classified as a semi arid region with harsh and fragile environment. The low and erratic rainfalls govern vegetation dynamics, animals‟ survival and the general human welfare. Frequent drought as a result of climate change has exacerbated and compounded the problem of provision of quality basic education in the district. This study was conducted to investigate drought prevalence and the impact it has on the learning of pupils in the district. The study was carried out between August to December 2011 in two different agro ecological zones; high agricultural potential area in Muhotetu and Sipili in the west as well as dry zones of Ol moran and Rumuruti in the north and eastern parts of the district respectively. Primary data collection was through the use of questionnaires and informal discussions with community members as well as education officers. Questionnaires were administered to both teachers and classes seven and eight pupils in twenty four out of the seventy two public primary schools in the district. Visits to the pastureland where school going children were looking after animals during school days, and interaction with communities in the district also formed part of the study. Rainfall and temperature data from meteorological department were used to reinforce schools attendance data. Indigenous knowledge from the elders of the communities and secondary data were used to corroborate the findings. The secondary data sources included review of published reports, journals, internet and books to identify existing information on the effects of drought on learning. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative and quantitative statistics such as percentages and frequencies. The results were processed; tabulated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 11(Students‟ version) to generate descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that, drought cases significantly impacts negatively on the learning of pupils in schools (χ2=16.2761,df = 3, P=0.001). The results indicated that, drought contributed to absenteeism at 33%,truancy at 17%, poor performance at 16% and both transfers and drop out at 21% Data from meteorological department for the period between the year 2000 and 2010 indicate low rainfall annually especially during the months of January to March and June to December. Temperatures range between 10.7oC to 25.25oC at Nanyuki substation weather station and between 7.8oC to 20.41oC in Nyahururu substation. The elders from Laikipia west communities had Indigenous ways to mitigate against the impacts of drought in the area though some negatively affected their environment. Due to the low rainfall in most parts of the district, the results of this study recommend that, policy makers ought to take decisive measures aimed at arresting the perennial suffering of both people and animals in the district by drilling boreholes, water harvesting during rainy seasons into reservoirs and a well sustained feeding programme in all the schools in the district.