Abstract

This paper on strategies for school environmental management in Nigerian secondary schools was carried out in Calabar, Nigeria. To guide the study three research questions were formulated. This was achieved through administration of structured questionnaires in three randomly sampled schools. Findings show regular grass clearing, sweeping of the school compound and painting, landscaping and planting of flowers, good drainage and refuse disposal are strategies adopted for managing the school environment.  While lack of gardeners to keep the school compound clean, erosion, students and teachers not being responsive to environmental issues, difficulties to inculcate in students environmental values due to different home upbringing, lack of funds to procure working tools/implements and waste disposal challenges were some identified challenges in the school environmental management. Three hypotheses were put forward to be tested in the study: 1) There is no significant difference in strategies adopted in the management of school environment 2) Management of school environment has no significant effect on student study/reading habit 3) The challenges of managing school environment have no significant effect on the quality of school environment. Statistical results from tested hypotheses show significant relation and correlation in all. Result for hypothesis one shows that there is significant difference in strategies adopted in the management of school environment. Hypothesis two statistically proved that management of school environment has significant effect on students’ study/reading habit; while the last stated hypothesis revealed that the challenges of managing school environment have significant effect on the quality of school environment. For enhanced and better school environment for sound academic exercise, school environmental management team (SEMT), fore-plan for drainage and waste disposal, school location consideration for new schools, employment of gardeners and cleaners, fumigation of schools, terminal orientation programmes, development of curriculum on environmental management, School inspection and competitions and awards were recommended.

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