CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS AND STRATEGIES FOR ENLIGHTENMENT AMONG ADULT EDUCATION LECTURERS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was undertaken among lecturers in the departments of adult education in federal universities in South East Nigeria to determine their awareness status on climate change. Responses of 25 lecturers that completed and returned their questionnaires were used for analysis out of the population of 42 lecturers that were sampled. Mean and standard deviation were the statistics used. The study found that adult education lecturers in the South East Universities were aware of most of the items on climate change. Male lectures were significantly more aware than female lecturers. Additionally, the study identified some strategies that can be used to create awareness of climate change and they include organizing seminars, workshops, conferences and symposia; formulation and use of radio and television jingles; regular enlightenment campaign programmes in strategic venues; deliberate inclusion of climate change issues into adult and non-formal education programmes for various categories of learners; and formulation of environment conscious groups in various communities. The study concludes that although adult education lecturers in the study site were adjudged aware of climate change, they still need to be educated more on the global and national mitigation and adaptation policies. More efforts should be made to enlighten female lecturers about climate change. It was recommended that the programmes and strategies elicited from respondents be used to create awareness.

Climate change, awareness, adult education, lecturers, strategies,

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