Students’ in Environmental Education and their Participation in Environmental Conservation by N. E. U. Inyang & David D. Sambo

INTRODUCTION
The fundamental aim of environmental education is to arouse pupils‘ awareness and curiosity about the environment and encourage active participation in resolving environmental problems (Oduwaiye, 1997). Formal environmental education by infusion approach takes place within primary and secondary school system. As observed by Aina (1997), environmental education programmes focusing on students represent a long-term educational solution to environmental problems.
However, Nigeria is beset with many environmental problems including drought and desertification, soil erosion, flooding, accumulation of solid wastes in our urban centres, loss of biological diversity as a result of deforestation, indiscriminate bush burning and overgrazing. Other environmental problems in Nigeria are air and water pollution from industrial discharge, oil spillage and gas flaring. These problems vary in their occurrences and intensities across the various ecological zones in Nigeria.
According to Adeniyi (1999), the problems of soil erosion has reached an alarming proportion in the eastern part of the country as well as the coastal areas of Akwa lbom, Rivers, Cross River, Bendel and Lagos State, while desert encroachment and wind erosion are characteristic features in the Northern States.