Creating eco-consciousness from the perspective of students: an assessment of the level of environmental literacy among students in Kumasi

Abstract Environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and land degradation resulting from human activities, continue to intensify in Ghanaian cities. Some schools of thought have attributed this to the low level of environmental literacy among people; thus, calling for environmentally literate citizens, particularly students, who would understand their interactions with the environment, have positive environmental behaviour and can make informed decisions to resolve current and future environmental problems. This paper sought to assess the level of environmental literacy, based on four components - environmental behaviour, environmental affect (attitudes and sensitivity), and cognitive skills - among 354 Junior and Senior High School students in Kumasi. The results of the paper showed that students generally have a moderate level of environmental literacy on environmental issues, with males displaying significantly higher knowledge, environmental affect and cognitive skills than the female students. Younger students had higher pro-environmental environmental behaviour than older students. Several challenges were further outlined to impede efforts in promoting environmental literacy among students. Notable among them were inability of students to appreciate nature by visiting natural areas, and inadequate resources and logistics, among others. The study concludes that schools’ curricula alone cannot promote environmental literacy, but requires other extra-curricular activities such as television programmes as a complementary teaching method. Again, in order to develop environmentally literate students, authorities should implement a comprehensive, well supervised environmental literacy programmes in schools and challenge students to embark on environmental projects to make them agents of sustainable environment.