25-01-2013, 09:57 AM
A STUDY OF LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to find out the level of environmental awareness among teachers in some primary schools of East Delhi of District Shahdara.
The method of the survey involved the use of a questionnaire and attitude items which were administered by the research personally to primary school teachers in some government schools and some private schools of East Delhi. The sample size of schools was six teachers per school giving a total size of sixty teachers. The researcher fortunately collected all the sixty responses.
The data collected was analyzed and reported graphically with the use of tables and percentages.
The researcher found out that the teachers in the govt. primary schools studied were mostly aware of environmental problems and solutions that of teachers in private schools. It was also realized that the science background teachers have more awareness than the teachers having non-science background. And it is also found that female teachers are more knowledgeable about environment than of male teachers. The research findings in the study also indicated that the majority of teachers do not have much environmental awareness. Further studies should find out why teachers do not become more aware about their environment.
INTRODUCTION
Man's paradise is on earth; this living world is the beloved place of all; It has the blessings of Nature's bounties: Live in a lovely spirit. - Atharva Veda (5.30.6)
Opening up the Hindu mythology, the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient scriptures of the Hindu religion have given a detailed description of trees, plants, wildlife and their importance to people. Yajnavalkya Smriti prohibited the cutting of trees by prescribing punishment for such acts. Kautalya's Arthashastra, written in the Mauryan period, realised the necessity of forest administration and Ashoka's 5th Pillar Edict expressed his view about the welfare of creatures in the State. Evidence from civilizations of Mohenjadaro and Harappa has further proved that the small population lived in consonance with the ecosystem and their needs maintained harmony with the environment. Thus, the Hindu society was conscious of the adverse environmental effects caused by deforestation and extinction of animal species. An appraisal of the historical background to environmental protection in India would indicate that forests & wildlife were considered as vital ingredients of the global system. Here, the entire scheme of environmental preservation was essentially duty-based. Environment is essential for all of living and non – living things on the planet earth. There is a kind of dependency among living beings including human beings. However human beings are solely responsible for changing the environment by indiscriminate use of the natural resources. In the early years of Indian independence, there was no precise environmental policy. Government tried to make attempts only from time to time as per the growing needs of the society. The period of 1970s witnessed a lot of changes in policies and attitudes of the Indian Government when its attitude changed from environmental indifference to greater and subsequently, manifold steps were taken to improve environmental conditions.
NEED OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION:
The Environment Education is designed both formally and non - formally. The formal environment education has to be essentially location – specific. At the first level, special attention must be paid to school going children and women. They are to be made aware of health, family planning, nutrition, rural development, slum improvement, sanitation, hygiene, water and food contamination, fodder, fuel wood etc. The Environmental Education is the lifelong process for the welfare of mankind and the development of the society. It develops the awareness, skills, attitudes and solves the problem to improve the quality of environment. The area of teacher-education is different from social science because they are limited to awareness only. The environmental scenario of India is very wide indeed. Ours is a country highly diverse climatically, geologically, geographically, edaphically, floristically, ethnically, lingually, socially and economically. Our country is one of the first ten industrialized countries of the world. Today we have a good industrial infrastructure in core industries like in metals, chemicals, fertilizers, petroleum, food, etc. What has come out of these? Pesticides, detergents, solvents, fuels, paints dyes, food additives, etc., are some examples. Due to progress in atomic energy there has also been an increase in radioactivity in the biosphere. Besides these, there are a number of industrial effluent and emissions particularly poisonous gases in the atmosphere. Mining activities also added to this problem particularly as solid waste. The pollution is a necessary evil of all development. Due to lack of development of a culture of pollution control, there has resulted a heavy backlog of gaseous, liquid and solid pollution in our country. It is to be cleaned. Thus pollution control in our country is a recent environmental concern. Not only in India, but in developed Western World also, pollution is a scare-world. Pollution is a man-made problem, mainly of effluent countries.
RATIONAL OF THE STUDY:
Environmental problems have become a constant and perennial challenge facing modern society. What seems to change however the way in which people interpret is and to view these environmental problems? Several researchers have argued that the nature and extent of the environmental problems have increased dramatically over many years, to such an extent that the environmental problems now constitute a global crisis. Consequently, if the environment is to be utilized to its optimum, it is necessary that a thorough knowledge of its functioning be acquired. With every environmental problem, there are usually a number of contributing causes, whose interactions and feedbacks make it difficult to identify the most effective course of action and predict the consequences of intended remedies with any certainty. Whatever solutions are needed towards environmental problems, government does not need to impose them, all the time. Community members also need to engage in activities that will lead to environmental protection. Many people are becoming increasingly aware of the need to sustain the health of the planet and the integral web of connections that link together all life on earth. It is rather important to understand how our activities affect the environment and ourselves, and that the solutions still lie much in our attitudes, values and actions.