More than nine out of ten young people in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation want environmental issues to be given a more prominent place in secondary school courses.
This is one of the conclusions of a survey published on Tuesday by the Forum des Jeunes (Youth Forum), the official organ and advisory body for young people aged 16 to 30 in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
In a survey of 1,019 young people, 91% of respondents believed environmental education should be given more attention in the secondary school curriculum.
To achieve this, they specifically asked for the curriculum to be reformed, for teachers to be better trained in environmental issues, for specialist speakers to visit schools, and for schools to implement concrete projects in favour of the environment, such as vegetable gardens, waste sorting or healthy snacks.
According to the survey, 74% of respondents believe environmental issues have not been sufficiently addressed in their secondary schools.
In addition, more than four out of five young people (83%) say they do not know of any sources of information suitable for young people on the issue of climate change.
“We are experiencing the effects of climate change today. Most young people feel eco-anxiety and a form of despair about the urgency of the situation,” the Youth Forum noted.
“Addressing these issues at school would allow each young person to grasp them, to create a feeling of solidarity and belonging to a group, and even to encourage new mobilisation initiatives,” it argued.
