According to the 2024 Preliminary census figures from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), 50.5% of Uganda’s population is under the age of 17. Furthermore, a recent UBOS report reveals that 26% of children aged 6-12 are out of school. These vulnerable children are particularly susceptible to the devastating effects of climate change, yet they remain unaware of the looming threat.
One billion children globally, or nearly half of the 2.3 billion, reside in countries considered “extremely high risk” for the devastating effects of climate change, according to UNICEF’s 2022 report. This stark reality hits close to home, as Uganda struggles with its own climate-related challenges. Ranked 159th in the 2020 Human Development Index, Uganda faces significant development hurdles. The consequences of climate change, including droughts, floods, and rising temperatures, pose a substantial threat to our nation’s progress and the well-being of its citizens.
The government’s Go Green initiative promotes environmental diversity in schools, but it overlooks a crucial segment: the 14% of children unable to attend school. This demographic is particularly vulnerable to the devastating consequences of climate change. According to UNESCO’s 2020 research, out-of-school children face disproportionate risks of poverty, exploitation, and climate-related disasters. The lack of access to climate education exacerbates their vulnerability, creating a perpetual cycle.
In order to solve this, Uganda’s Ministry of Education ought to create community based climate education initiatives, collaborate with neighbourhood leaders, faith-based organisations, and NGOs,educate community members to provide climate education, use social media, TV, and radio to reach underserved communities.
Waiting is not an option for Uganda. Children who attend school and those who do not are both impacted by climate change. Ignoring the latter guarantees that climate disasters will only get worse in the future. Prioritising environmental literacy will help to ensure that all kids, regardless of educational background, are prepared to tackle the climate crisis. Including Climate Education in the Curriculum, students in elementary school need to comprehend how the ecosystem is interconnected and how to mitigate its effects.
The Ministry ought to; Develop independent environmental education initiatives, prepare elementary school teachers to deliver climate education in an efficient manner. Include lessons on climate change in the current elementary school curriculum.
The writer, Abisagi Nalwadda, is a journalism and Communicatin student at Makerere University.