Abstract:
Littering is considered a major environmental problem. This problem is growing
steadily and is attracting great concerns among the public, scholars and educational
institutions. Human attitude is said to be the main contributor to littering as an
environmental sanitation problem which, if urgent attention is not taken to address
this phenomenon, it might pose serious threats to sustaining life on earth. This study
investigated staff and students’ attitude towards littering in second cycle schools in
the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of Ghana. The objectives of the study were to explore
staff and students’ perception on waste; examine staff and students’ knowledge on the
constitutuents of littering; examine the factors that contribute to littering behavior
among staff and students’ and to explore the possibilities on the schools ability to
shape up staff and students attitudes towards littering. This study investigated staff
and students’ attitude towards littering in second cycle schools in the Sefwi Wiawso
Municipality of Ghana. Guided by the social learning theory, the mixed method
approach was employed for this study by combining interview and questionnaire.
Purposive sampling was used in selecting the schools studied. Simple random
sampling was adopted in selecting the students for the study whereas convenience
sampling was used for the teachers. A sample size of 198 consisting of 188 students’
and 10 teachers were selected for the study. The quantitative data was analysed using
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 23.0) computers software.
The data keyed into the software were converted into frequency counts and
percentages which were used to address the research questions posed in the study. The
qualitative data were gathered, organised and analysed manually using emerging
themes. The study identified that both teachers and students litter though, they know
that littering poses a danger to the environment. It was also revealed that students
litter due to laziness, absence of waste bins, less sensitization on littering and lack of
law enforcement or litter or no environmental law. The study recommended the
provision of enough waste bins on the school compounds and formation of waste
clubs to educate the students on littering. In addition, students and staff with good
waste management practices should be rewarded as a measure of addressing littering
problem in second cycle schools’.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Social Studies Education,
Faculty of Social Science, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirement for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Social Studies Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
JUNE, 2022