KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AMONG UNDERGRADUATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
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Abstract
This study investigated knowledge and attitude of students towards environmental sustainability among students at the University of Benin, six research questions were raised to guide the study, two hypotheses were formulated. The purpose was to assess students’ level of knowledge, their attitudes, the factors influencing their engagement, the institutional challenges affecting sustainability practices, and their perceptions of the university’s role in promoting environmental awareness.
A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 39,037 undergraduate students in fourteen faculties, from which a sample of 383 respondents was drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique involving systematic, proportional, and purposive methods. Data were collected using a structured twenty-item questionnaire validated by experts, and reliability was determined using the test–retest method, which produced a coefficient of 0.78. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to analyze the data, while hypotheses were tested using the t-test at the 0.05 level of significance. The study concludes that students of the University of Benin possess commendable knowledge and positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability, yet this awareness is not fully translated into consistent practice. It recommends that the university should integrate sustainability education into its General Studies curriculum, strengthen institutional frameworks, provide adequate infrastructure, and actively involve students in sustainability planning and implementation to promote a culture of environmental responsibility across disciplines.
Findings revealed that students demonstrated a generally high level of knowledge of environmental sustainability, particularly regarding responsible resource use, recycling, and conservation of energy and water. However, awareness of global sustainability frameworks such as the Paris Agreement was moderate. The results also showed that students held positive attitudes towards environmental sustainability, though their participation in practical activities such as organized recycling and campus clean-up programs was limited. Factors such as personal values, peer influence, and academic exposure were found to significantly shape engagement in sustainability practices, while institutional challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, weak policy enforcement, and insufficient sensitization programs limited students’ active involvement
A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 39,037 undergraduate students in fourteen faculties, from which a sample of 383 respondents was drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique involving systematic, proportional, and purposive methods. Data were collected using a structured twenty-item questionnaire validated by experts, and reliability was determined using the test–retest method, which produced a coefficient of 0.78. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to analyze the data, while hypotheses were tested using the t-test at the 0.05 level of significance. The study concludes that students of the University of Benin possess commendable knowledge and positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability, yet this awareness is not fully translated into consistent practice. It recommends that the university should integrate sustainability education into its General Studies curriculum, strengthen institutional frameworks, provide adequate infrastructure, and actively involve students in sustainability planning and implementation to promote a culture of environmental responsibility across disciplines.
Findings revealed that students demonstrated a generally high level of knowledge of environmental sustainability, particularly regarding responsible resource use, recycling, and conservation of energy and water. However, awareness of global sustainability frameworks such as the Paris Agreement was moderate. The results also showed that students held positive attitudes towards environmental sustainability, though their participation in practical activities such as organized recycling and campus clean-up programs was limited. Factors such as personal values, peer influence, and academic exposure were found to significantly shape engagement in sustainability practices, while institutional challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, weak policy enforcement, and insufficient sensitization programs limited students’ active involvement
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