Students’ Knowledge and Understanding of Environmental Citizenship

In the modern world, being a good citizen involves more than just voting or paying taxes; it requires a deep connection to the natural world. This concept, known as environmental citizenship, is the idea that individuals should not only understand how their actions affect the planet but also feel a personal duty to protect it. It moves beyond simply knowing facts about pollution or climate change to actually understanding how to use that knowledge to make better decisions and take part in solving problems. For societies facing rapid environmental changes, especially in regions like West Africa, teaching these values is critical. The people who will shape the next generation's relationship with the environment are the teachers themselves. If future teachers do not grasp these concepts deeply, they cannot effectively pass them on to their students. This raises a vital question: do the students training to become teachers in Ghana already possess this necessary knowledge and understanding, or are there significant gaps before they even begin their university studies?

Researchers at the University of Education in Winneba, Ghana, set out to answer this question by looking closely at a specific group of students: first-year university students majoring in Social Studies. These students had just finished their secondary school education and had not yet taken any university-level courses in their field. The researchers wanted to see what they knew about environmental citizenship and how well they understood it, and whether there were differences between male and female students. To do this, the team surveyed 204 students, asking them to rate their own knowledge of environmental rights and responsibilities, as well as their ability to apply that knowledge to real-world situations. The study treated "knowledge" and "understanding" as two different things. Knowledge was defined as knowing facts, such as laws or causes of environmental damage, while understanding was defined as the ability to explain those facts, connect them to personal actions, and figure out how to participate in solving environmental problems.

The results of the survey painted a picture of a group that is largely unprepared for the demands of environmental leadership. The majority of the students reported having only low to average levels of knowledge about environmental citizenship. Nearly two out of every five students described their knowledge as poor or very poor, meaning they felt they lacked basic information about environmental rights and policies. When it came to understanding, the situation was similar but slightly more nuanced. Most students rated their ability to apply these concepts as moderate, with a significant portion admitting they had low or very low understanding. This suggests that while some students might have heard of environmental issues, they struggle to see how those issues connect to their own lives or how they can take meaningful action. The researchers found that this lack of preparation likely stems from how environmental topics are taught in secondary schools, where students often memorize facts for tests rather than learning how to think critically about environmental problems.

A particularly interesting finding emerged when the researchers compared the responses of male and female students. When it came to raw knowledge—knowing facts about the environment—there was no real difference between the sexes. Both men and women scored similarly, indicating that the lack of factual information was a shared experience across the group. However, a clear gap appeared when measuring understanding. Male students reported a significantly higher level of understanding than their female counterparts. They felt more confident in their ability to explain environmental concepts and identify ways to participate in decision-making. The researchers suggest this difference might not be because men know more facts, but because they may have had more opportunities to practice applying those facts in real-world settings, such as through clubs or community activities. It is also possible that female students, despite having similar knowledge, feel less confident in their ability to use that knowledge in public or civic discussions due to social norms.

The study concludes that these gaps are a cause for concern because these students are training to become the teachers who will educate the next generation. If future teachers enter the classroom with weak foundations in environmental citizenship, they will struggle to model the very behaviors they are supposed to teach. The researchers argue that universities cannot assume students arrive with a solid grasp of these topics. Instead, teacher training programs need to deliberately integrate environmental citizenship into their curriculum, moving beyond simple fact-recall to activities that build confidence and practical skills. They also recommend specific strategies to help female students feel more empowered to apply what they know, ensuring that the next wave of Ghanaian educators is fully equipped to foster a generation of environmentally responsible citizens.