Integration of environmental education in social science curricula at the secondary school level in Nigeria: Problems and prospects

Summary: Nigeria is one of the developing world countries that are committing themselves to the importance of environmental education (EE) as a means of improving the environment, which has suffered from considerable pollution and degradation. As part of the strategies’ for raising the level of awareness and engendering attitudes amongst the population through the formal school system, the Federal government has designed curricula with strong EE elements for a brand new subject called citizenship education to be introduced at the primary and secondary levels. As a response to this situation, this paper examines the existing elements in and the various approaches to integrating EE in social science with reference to Nigeria. This is followed by an analysis of the constraints and the support systems which are likely to be helpful to EE at the secondary school level. Some measures and guidelines that could enhance the effective integration of EE at the secondary school, if practised, are suggested. © 1997, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.