Teachers’ Standpoint in Managing Noise Pollution in Basic Schools

Abstract

Few studies have been done with little to no attention paid to how teachers perceive noise pollution and their management in the school environment in Ghana. This study sought to assess the awareness of basic school teachers on noise pollution, the sources of noise they encounter on the school environments as well as their suggestions on how to control or manage such noises. In order to evaluate the awareness, causes, and control of noise pollution in the basic schools, a set of questionnaires was used. Questionnaires were reviewed to make sure they were correctly filled out and to ensure internal consistency. The teachers were randomly selected for the study. Descriptive statistics was presented as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Data analysed was presented in figures and tables. Control measures were reported. Female teachers (n=147) greater than the males (n=129) participated in the study. Majority of the respondents (n=134, n=113) had taught for 0-5 years and fell within the age range of 30-39 years respectiviely. The teachers were aware of noise pollution with key sources of noise from students’ activities (65.2%) and vehicles (56.2%). Primarily, the teachers asked for continuous education on noise pollution and its many challenges. Basic school teachers admit that noises are present on the school environment and require management to make their work safe.