TITLE:
Perspective Piece: Rekindling Interest in Forestry Education in Sierra Leone
AUTHORS:
Aruna Kainyande
KEYWORDS:
Forestry Education, Environmental Awareness, Environmental Stewardship, School Curriculum Reforms, Sierra Leone
JOURNAL NAME:
Voice of the Publisher,
Vol.10 No.2,
May
16,
2024
ABSTRACT: This perspective piece discusses the imperative of rekindling interest in forestry education in Sierra Leone. Despite being endowed with rich natural resources and biodiversity, Sierra Leone faces challenges stemming from the exploitation of forest resources and outdated forestry policies. The establishment of the School of Natural Resources Management at Njala University represents a crucial intervention to address these challenges by offering forestry training to secondary school graduates. However, low enrollment in forestry programs persists due to a pervasive lack of awareness among Sierra Leonean youths regarding the importance of forestry in addressing global challenges such as climate change. The need for comprehensive reforms in secondary school curricula to integrate subjects that emphasize the contributions of forestry to national development will help empower young minds to make informed decisions.