Issues to Consider in Fostering Primary and Lower Secondary Schools' Environmental Education in Shiga Prefecture : Comparative Analysis of National Surveys

Shiga Prefecture is sometimes described as having advanced environmental education. However, the details of environmental education at primary and lower secondary schools in Shiga Prefecture have not been investigated. In this study, the authors investigate the status of environmental education at primary and lower secondary schools in Shiga Prefecture, and attempt to clarify issues for consideration through comparison with national surveys. No remarkable issues were identified for primary schools. With regard to lower secondary schools, issues were discovered in the implementation of teacher training regarding environmental education in schools, as well as teachers’ degree of interest in environmental education and the implementation rate of such education.