Assessment of leadership actions for Environmental Stewardship Enhancement in public schools

Abstract

Stewardship of environmental resources is likely to yield tremendous benefits by saving operational costs and enhancing teaching and learning. However, environmental stewardship remains a secondary subject in the management of schools. This study, therefore, sought to establish actions that school leaders have undertaken in different schools in the sampled area geared towards environmental stewardship. A survey was undertaken in sampled schools in Githunguri Sub-County of Kiambu in Kenya. Primary data was collected from 260 teachers using a structured questionnaire while data from 15 principals was obtained through interviews. The researcher also collected primary data from the schools through observation. The study established that the majority of the teachers in the study area affirmed environmental stewardship in schools was beneficial in influencing teaching and learning (70%), creating pro-environmental behaviour in teachers, students, and parents (68%), and reducing costs of operation (71%). Despite the benefits, sampled teachers affirmed that schools neither had an environment committee (90.4%) nor an environmental policy (75%). The majority of the teachers, however, asserted their schools practiced water harvesting (80.8%) as well as used improved cook stoves to save on wood fuel. Stewardship activities were however constrained by factors such as insufficient funds, limitation of time, and lack of knowledge which bore the greatest responsibility. Findings from this study will put into perspective some of the environmental good practices that schools have adopted and as such inspire future policies on environmental stewardship in public schools in Kenya. The results highlight the need for a review of educational policies on environmental stewardship if public schools are to have environmental sustainability. Further, the findings provide insights on capacity building gaps which will be useful for public school leadership training as well as contribute to behavioural change required in implementing environmental stewardship.