Role of Teachers in Waste Management in Secondary Schools of Busoga Region Municipalities: A Cross Cutting Issue of the Competence Based Curriculum in Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated how teachers contribute to waste management in secondary schools in the Busoga region municipalities, a topic  that intersects with Uganda's competence-based curriculum. Two major questions guided this study: What are the current waste  management methods used in secondary schools? And what are the different ways of training teachers in how to utilize the waste  generated in secondary schools to put them to better uses? The study employed a cross-sectional design, essentially adhering to a  quantitative approach to data collection and presentation. We used questionnaires to gather responses from 169 respondents, which  included 155 teachers and 14 headteachers from 14 secondary schools in the selected municipalities. Summary tables presented the data,  analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that schools primarily implement waste management methods  such as recovery recycling practices, composting, reuse approaches, and the use of waste as manure. e. Further, the study  revealed that teachers are highly receptive to various training approaches related to waste management, namely the use of manure, the  use of charcoal briskets, and the utilization of waste materials for doormat making, compound decoration, brick formation from water  bottles, necklace beautification, and basket making. In conclusion, despite some shortcomings, teachers in the Busoga municipalities  have attempted to manage waste through various methods, primarily due to the opportunity they have had to acquire the necessary  skill. Therefore, we recommend increasing the level of sensitization to encourage more teaching staff members to participate in waste  management practices, thereby maintaining clean and sustainable municipalities.