AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CHALLENGES FACING IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN SCHOOL POLICIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the concept of green schools and the role of green school policies in promoting environmental sustainability within the educational system, with particular focus on Nigeria. The paper explores the meaning and components of green schools as institutions that integrate eco-friendly practices into their infrastructure, curriculum, and daily operations. It further discusses green school policies as structured frameworks that guide the implementation of sustainability practices in schools. The study highlights the importance of these policies in fostering environmental awareness, improving students’ health, enhancing teaching and learning, ensuring efficient resource utilization, and contributing to national and global sustainable development goals. Adopting a qualitative review method, relevant literature from textbooks, journal articles, and policy documents was analyzed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The findings reveal that despite the numerous benefits of green school policies, their implementation in Nigeria is hindered by several challenges, including inadequate funding, low environmental awareness, weak policy enforcement, poor infrastructure, resistance to change, insufficient training, and weak institutional coordination. The study concludes that while green school policies are essential for sustainable development in education, deliberate efforts must be made by government and stakeholders to address these challenges and ensure effective implementation.