Abstract

The aim of this interventional study was to investigate the effect of an education program on students' responsibility to the environmental issues in Ilam, Iran. A total of 330 girls' students (11-15 years old) were selected from 2 secondary schools. The participants were divided into two equal groups of control and intervention. The educational program for the intervention group was held in 5 sessions of 30 minutes during 4 consecutive weeks. Three questionnaires and a checklist were used to monitor the education effectiveness. The results showed that the parent's education and father's job were associated with the students' knowledge. Also, the students' environmental behavior had a significant inverse relationship with their school level and family income. The findings of the checklist evaluation indicated that the students in the intervention group felt more responsible than the control group for saving water and heating energy and proper waste management (recycling and disposal) of the school's environment. Given the effect of the program on the knowledge, attitude and behavior, there is an urgent need for environmental education in schools. This goal can be achieved in the form of extracurricular activities, lesson plan, television, Internet and various virtual media. Certainly, by promoting students' environmental knowledge and beliefs, some of the environmental concerns in developing countries can be reduced.