Towards Conserving Nigeria’s Environment through Environmental Management Education

Abstract

Environmental conservation involves the wise use of resources and their preservation from reckless exploitation and wanton destruction. In contemporary Nigeria however, the ideals of conservation have failed to be properly integrated into the National development agenda. Widespread ignorance and low levels environmental awareness have been identified as prominent factors responsible for this despicable state of affairs. Since education remains the cure for ignorance, this paper therefore, aims at emphasizing the urgent imperative for the incorporation of environmental management education as a major component of an integrative framework for the conservation of Nigeria’s environment. The paper contends that effective environmental conservation may never be attained unless and until requisite skills are developed and sufficient awareness created nationally and locally through a robust programme of environmental management education. The paper recommends the adoption of environmental management education as an important component of our effort to ensure effective conservation and national development. Specifically, environmental management education should be introduced as a subject in the primary and secondary schools, while universities and other tertiary institutions should offer it as a general course and make efforts to establish Environmental Management Department in the Faculty of Environmental Studies as approved by the National Universities Commission.

Key words: Environmental Management, Education, Conservation, Resources, Awareness.