An appraisal of teaching and learning process on environmental education in secondary schools a case of Korogwe district in Tanga region

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of teaching and learning process on environmental education in Tanzania secondary schools. The study was guided by four research objectives which included: Assessment of the environmental curriculum contents and its reflection on students knowledge and skills development, to examine the teaching/learning strategies and material resources used, to explore the knowledge and skills on environmental issues gained and used by students and finally to investigate the challenges that educators were facing in the implementation of teaching and learning process of environmental education in the surveyed schools. In this study, 200 students, 14 teachers, 18 parents and two environmental officers were involved as respondents in the sample. The data collection techniques used included questionnaires to students and teachers, interviews to environmental officers and parents of students, observation to the school surroundings and student's residential areas while documentary review to the EE curriculum contents and material resources. The study endings revealed that the contents prepared and used for teaching and learning EE in secondary school in the country in the assessed subject syllabuses independently were not much suitable for preparing students to solve practical problems. Furthermore, the teaching and learning resources used were not enough. Students gained environmental knowledge and skills through different means including the use of communication media and these knowledge and skills had little application in their real life in the communities. Slow learning, Society's resistance to behavioural change and lack of material resources in the implementation of environmental education were the major challenges of environmental educators in the area. The study concluded that, the EE curriculum contents per single subject were not satisfactory to build students competencies in solving environmental problems. Practical knowledge on environmental conservation and preservation was not efficiently been applied by students and community in their real life situation. The study however recommended to the TIE for the curriculum contents to be revised so as to suit the needs of giving learners skills and competencies in solving problems. The government has to make sure that laws and by laws established are followed by members of the community for elective protection and conservation of the environment