Exploring Climate Change Communication Approaches In Selected Basic Schools In Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Climate change poses severe threats to Ghana through flooding, heatwaves, and resource degradation, disproportionately affecting vulnerable urban children and hindering Sustainable Development Goals progress in education and environmental resilience. While Ghana's basic school curriculum integrates climate change topics, limited evidence exists on how pupils comprehend them amid teacher-centered pedagogies and resource gaps. This study assessed climate change communication approaches, pupils' understanding, and barriers in selected basic schools in Accra's La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipality, targeting Basic 4-6 pupils (aged 10-15) from one public and one private school. Guided by Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, the research examined observational learning, self-efficacy, and classroom interactions shaping climate change literacy. Using a pragmatic convergent parallel mixed-methods design, Data were collected via pupil questionnaires (n=203), semi-structured interviews (n=7) with five teachers and two school heads, and focus group discussions with pupils (n=12). Quantitative analysis employed SPSS descriptives, correlations, and regressions; qualitative data underwent thematic analysis per Braun and Clarke (2006), with interpretive integration. Results showed school as the dominant information source (86.2%), tied to sporadic curriculum coverage in science and our world, our people, and religious and moral education subjects. Pupils preferred storybooks (72.9%), followed by games (16.3%) and cartoons (10.8%), yet teachers relied on lectures and textbooks, with no link to comprehension (r=.021). Most rated climate change "fairly difficult" (81.8%), influenced by age and class level. Barriers included abstract concepts, material shortages, untrained teachers, and urban pupils limited environmental exposure. Older pupils showed better grasp, but higher classes amplified perceived difficulty. Findings reveal average climate change literacy hampered by mismatched strategies, highlighting the need for visuals, experiential activities, Indigenous knowledge, and training. Recommendations urge curriculum cross-cutting integration, resource allocation, and public-private comparisons to boost child agency. This highlights urgent gaps in Ghanaian basic education, advocating child-centered reforms for resilient youth.