| dc.description.abstract | Human induced climate change remains one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st
century, with developing countries, including Tanzania, being particularly vulnerable to its
impacts. As the world fights with measures of finding lasting solutions to the problem of climate
change, it is essential to know the awareness and knowledge level the youth, especially secondary
school students, possess about the causes, impacts, mitigation and adaptation practices of climate
change and their involvement in addressing the problem of climate change. This can be done
through improved awareness that will lead to behavioral changes in mitigation and adaptation
practices. This study assesses the awareness of climate change and adaptation practices among
secondary school students in Makete District, Tanzania. Using a descriptive survey design, data
were collected from 330 students across eight secondary schools through questionnaires,
interviews, and observations. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data analysis
methods, utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for quantitative data and
thematic analysis for qualitative insights.
The findings reveal that a significant majority of students (79.7%) have high awareness level of
climate change with 20.3% of student with medium awareness, with females demonstrating
slightly higher awareness levels (79.3%) than males (77.1%). Students also showed a high level
of knowledge regarding climate change mitigation with 78% and adaptation practices with 81%,
such as tree planting, renewable energy use, and water conservation. Moreover, 87.6% of students
showed that they participated in adaptation practices at home, school or at their community. The
study highlights the importance of integrating climate change education into school curricula and
enhancing practical, hands-on learning experiences to improve students' understanding and
engagement in climate adaptation and mitigation practices. Recommendations include making
climate change education examinable, organizing regular teacher training workshops, and
promoting future-oriented, problem-solving approaches in teaching. These measures are essential
for fostering a generation of environmentally conscious citizens capable of addressing the
challenges posed by climate change. | en_US |
