An Assessment Of The Status Of Environmental Ethics Teaching In Tanzanian Primary Schools: A Case Study Of Mvomero And Kilosa Districts

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to assess the status of environmental ethics teaching in Tanzanian

primary schools. Four objectives guided the study namely to: (i) Examine the

accessibility of the environmental ethics content in the environmental education content

for primary school curriculum, (ii) determine teachers‟ understanding of the ethical

dimensions in the teaching of environmental education, (iii) examine the transforming

potential of the teaching and learning strategies and (iv) determine the effectiveness of the

assessment procedures for defining the pupils‟ acquisition of the environmental ethics.

The study was conducted in the Morogoro region involving two districts namely

Mvomero and Kilosa. The informants included in the study were two WEOs, four heads

of schools, sixteen teachers, and twenty-four pupils. The study findings revealed that

while the educational policies and curriculum had highlighted the need to teach the

environmental education content by emphasizing the ethical aspects, the environmental

education content in the subject syllabi and texts books were not viable with the suggested

content. Secondly, the findings revealed that the majority of interviewed informants

understood only the biophysical dimensions of environmental ethics instead of

environmental values and sustainability. Thirdly, the study found that the informants

understand the transforming potential of teaching and learning strategies but there is a gap

between their knowledge and the actual teaching and learning situation of environmental

education in primary schools. Finally, the study found that the assessment procedures of

environmental ethics were only focused on the cognitive aspects hence, teachers were

motivated to use standard testing in the form of tests and examinations to determine

pupils‟ learning outcomes.