Low carbon awareness among primary school students through iskandar Malaysia ecolife challenge competition

Abstract

Environmental Education at the formal education level is not conducted through a specific subject at schools in Malaysia. Rather, it is introduced to the students as an element that is taught across the formal curriculum. Teachers with little or no awareness on low carbon would not inculcate this in the formal education. Therefore, a concentrated effort is needed to educate both the teachers and students on low carbon. The Iskandar Malaysia Ecolife Challenge (IMELC) is designed to introduce Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to primary school teachers and students using a workbook that contains information and knowledge about environmental issues as well as activities that can create awareness. It was conducted among Year 6 students (aged 12 years old) from 80 schools (urban and rural) in Iskandar Malaysia after their national examination. The students and teachers awareness were measured before and after the program. The data analysis of both the teachers and students survey before and after IMELC shows an increment in the mean scores. Further t-test shows that the differences between the pre and post of IMELC are significant. The overall mean score of the students' low carbon awareness in pre-IMELC is 2.44 and the post- IMELC mean score is 2.81, while the paired samples t-test for means difference analysis shows the significant increase. This indicates that IMELC has raised the students' awareness on low carbon. The item that shows the largest difference is that the students discuss environmental related issues with their family members.