Curriculum and Practice of Environmental Education at Primary Schools in Bangladesh

Abstract

Primary curriculum of Bangladesh has been revised in 2012 with updated contents and teaching-learning processes to provide effective primary education, and environmental education (EE) was also part of this revision and supposed to be implemented through different subjects. In this situation, it is important to know how far the EE related part of 2012 primary curriculum is being implemented at schools. The study took it as a problem and analyzed the practice of EE at schools compare to 2012 primary curriculum. The study chosen grade V “Primary Science” and “Bangladesh and Global Studies” as the sample subjects because both the subjects cover EE most. However, fifteen primary schools from eleven districts were selected purposively for the study. Total thirty teachers of grade V “Primary Science” and “Bangladesh and Global Studies” were selected purposively, and their teaching-learning activities related to EE were observed through a five-point scale starts from “zero” denoting “not practiced at all” and ends at “four” denoting “completely practiced” to explore the practice of EE at primary schools focusing two major categories “presenting contents” and “conducting teaching-learning processes” compare to 2012 primary curriculum. Moreover, ten students of grade V from each school were selected randomly for the focus group discussions (FGD). The FGDs were conducted through a structured guideline to know teachers’ practice of EE. In addition, headmasters of all schools and previously selected thirty teachers were interviewed to get their insights and know the factors behind their practices. Data gathered from different sources were triangulated and analyzed in mixed approach. It is found that most of the teachers know the concept of subject-based terminal competencies and grade-wise achievable competencies but no teachers could tell any subject-based terminal competencies correctly though very few of them could tell grade-wise achievable competencies correct. However, the teachers who told competencies wrong, their answers were closer to learning outcomes most of the cases. On the other hand, teachers’ have good idea about the concept of learning outcomes though majority of them could tell only 1-2 learning outcomes correctly. It is found that almost all the contents mentioned in the curriculum were presented by the teachers except contents related to weather change because they did not find the contents in the textbooks clearly. On the other hand, teachers followed teaching-learning processes related to previous curriculum learned from different trainings. They started lessons typically through motivation followed by showing flip charts, making student read the textbooks and finally asking questions for evaluation. Teachers argued that they did not get any training on new curriculum. However, subject teachers and headmasters mentioned unavailability of 2012 primary curriculum at schools as one of the most important factors behind teachers’ lack of knowledge and practice though this curriculum is available in online. Moreover, lack of teacher’s guide is found as another factor behind teachers’ performance. The study suggests that respective authorities should concentrate on EE through designing effective training for teachers and developing teacher’s guide on present curriculum, establishing necessary infrastructures at schools, implementing regular monitoring and mentoring activities, introducing continuing professional development processes in schools, etc.