Adequacy of the senior high school social studies curriculum in meeting the challenges of climate change

Abstract

The primary purpose of this research was to examine the adequacy of the Senior High School Social Studies curriculum in covering climate related issues. The convergent parallel mixed method design was employed to execute this study. All the eighty-seven (87) Social Studies teachers were purposively selected from the 11 Senior High Schools as well as 19,155 students. A sample size of 320 Social Studies students were selected through the proportionate sampling technique and use the use of table of random numbers. All the 87 Social Studies teachers were included (census) in the study. The main instruments used for the study was questionnaire and semi structured interview guide. The data collected with questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, means, standard deviations, and percentages. Data from the interview were analysed through the thematic approach. The study revealed that there are inadequate climate change issues covered in the SHS Social Studies curriculum. The study concluded that the SHS Social Studies curriculum contained inadequate climate change issues. It was recommended that Social Studies curriculum developers for Senior High Schools in the country should seek to make sure that climate change is adequately covered in a very comprehensive manner in the Social Studies curriculum at the Senior High School level. Social Studies teachers and students should be encouraged to continually update their knowledge about climate by attending climate change conferences and workshops.