Climate Change Education in Afghanistan High School Curriculum: Depictions of the Causes, Impacts and Solutions

Abstract

Climate change education is crucial for equipping students with the knowledge to address environmental challenges. This study analyzes climate change education in Afghanistan's high school curriculum. Using content analysis, the research identifies climate change topics in geography, biology, and chemistry syllabi for grades 10 to 12. The study focuses on causes, impacts, and solutions to climate change and examines topic distribution across grades. The findings reveal that climate change-related topics are included in the geography, biology, and chemistry curriculums. In the geography curriculum, climate change topics are prevalent, constituting 6% of the content. However, in biology, the coverage is relatively lower at 3%. In chemistry, there is only one topic in 12^th grade related to climate change. Notably, the 10^th and 12^th grade exhibits a more significant emphasis on climate change topics in geography and biology respectively. These findings raise important considerations for climate change education in Afghanistan. While progress has been made in integrating climate change topics into the curriculum, there is a need for further attention and balance across subject areas and grade levels. Enhancing the coverage of climate change topics, particularly in science subjects, can significantly contribute to fostering a comprehensive understanding of the issue among students. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers, curriculum developers, and educators in Afghanistan to strengthen climate change education within the high school curriculum.