Two fifths think action needed on climate education - survey

Three quarters of people in the UK believe children should learn about climate change in primary school or earlier, a survey commissioned by educational publishing group Pearson has found. The global survey – carried out in the last month, and with 1000 respondents per nation in each of the UK, the United States, Brazil, China and Mexico – found that 52 per cent of UK respondents believed children should start learning about climate change at primary school, while 23 per cent said learning should start in preschool.

Respondents to the survey ranged from ages 16 to 70, and in the UK 78 per cent believed climate and environment topics were not adequately discussed or taught when they personally were in school. Furthermore, more than two fifths (41 per cent) didn’t feel the current UK education system is teaching environmental issues well. Such sentiments were shared globally, with 89 per cent of people across the countries surveyed believing that the education system in their country needed to do more to equip students with skills for green jobs. The topics respondents globally named as most urgent for children to learn about are: global warming (30 per cent), climate change (30 per cent), how to fight climate change (26 per cent) and water conservation (25 per cent).

Climate change is already taught in both science and geography lessons in the UK, as part of the national curriculum at primary and secondary level. Additionally the government’s recent draft sustainability and climate change strategy indicated that a ‘model’ science curriculum would be developed for primary schools by 2022, with a focus on climate change. The strategy also said teachers will be given access to the ‘best training and support’ to ensure young people understand the importance of sustainability. Outside of the classroom, a ‘climate leaders award’ scheme, modelled on the Duke of Edinburgh awards, is to be developed.

Erika Webb-Hughes, Pearson’s vice-president for sustainability, said: ‘When you know better, you do better. Globally, the majority of people are educating themselves to gain a deeper understanding of climate change and the positive impact they can have through their own actions and careers. Their hunger to learn (what perhaps wasn’t covered so extensively in formal education a number of generations ago) about the environment is fuelling green jobs and practices that can be incorporated into any role or industry, as well as personal actions we can all take that will ensure a sustainable future for our world.’

Responding to the survey findings, James Bowen, director of policy for school leaders’ union NAHT, said: ‘There is a huge amount of good work already taking place in schools. Many primary schools are already actively teaching pupils about the importance of conserving and protecting our planet. We know this generation of pupils are passionate about bringing about meaningful change.’

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