Leadership Roles in Enhancing Environmental Stewardship in Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

The global environment is degraded and we are responsible. To reverse the situation, environmental stewardship shall be of the essence. Inculcating environmental stewardship in schools will inspire students, teachers and the community to develop pro-environmental behaviour. It will also reduce schools’ ecological footprint and ultimately drive the world towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, while educational institutions in Kenya have seen tremendous growth in numbers and enrolment since independence, little attention has been directed to environmental stewardship activities in such institutions. Basic education institutions in Kenya simply lack leadership geared towards environmental stewardship and as such consume numerous environmental resources and release substantial waste which poses great risk to the environment. It is based on this that this study undertook to assess leadership roles in enhancing environmental stewardship in public secondary schools in Githunguri Sub-County of Kiambu County in Kenya. Three specific objectives guided the study, namely to: examine the relationship between educational policies and teachers’ leadership roles in promoting environmental stewardship; investigate the association between capacity-building initiatives and teachers’ leadership roles in environmental stewardship; and analyse the relationship between educational leaders’ actions and the effectiveness of environmental stewardship practices in public secondary schools. The study adopted a correlational research design. A sample of 260 teachers and 15 principals was selected using simple random and purposive sampling techniques respectively. Data from sampled teachers was collected using a structured questionnaire that was configured in a mobile phone app, Kobo Collect. Data from sampled principals was obtained using Key Informant Interviews. Secondary data was collected through systematic desktop reviews. Quantitative data was analysed using percentages, cross-tabulation analysis, correlational analysis, regression analysis and ANOVA while qualitative data was analysed through descriptions.