Case Study: Urban Teachers’ Perspective on Environmental Education in North Macedonia
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BY
Srna Zafirovska
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
Dr. Bhaskar Upadhyay
May 1, 2023
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my advisor Dr. Bhaskar
Upadhyay for his constructive feedback, encouragement, and constant availability during this
process. I would also like to extend my thanks to my committee members: Dr. Elizabeth Sumida
Huaman, Dr. Christopher Johnstone, and Dr. Jeremy Hernandez for their time, expertise, and
thoughtful comments during the defense of my thesis.
i
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
ABSTRACT
This thesis examines teachers’ experiences in one primary school in North Macedonia.
The purpose is to understand how Macedonian teachers view environmental education and what
challenges they face in its implementation. The data is gathered through qualitative interviews.
The data produces three assertions; a) teachers recognize the need for environmental education
as environmental awareness seems to be very low among the general public; b) the teachers
stress the importance of an early start and upbringing in acquiring environmental awareness; c)
insufficient resources limit the realization of environmental education. Improvement
recommendations include: increasing parental involvement through interactive workshops,
investing in reusable gloves for trash pickup events, and investing in transportation for more
contextual learning. This thesis concludes by summarizing the findings and emphasizing the
suggestions for improvement.
Keywords: North Macedonia, primary education, environmental education, eco-schools,
teacher perspective, urban
ii
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i
ABSTRACT ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
LIST OF FIGURES iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS v
INTRODUCTION 1
LITERATURE REVIEW 3
Introduction: Primary Education in North Macedonia 3
Structure 3
Governance 4
Funding 8
Environmental Education in North Macedonia 12
The Teacher’s Role in Environmental Education 18
Home Influence on Environment Education 21
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 23
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS 26
Methodology 26
Data Collection Methods 27
Selection of Participants 28
Approach to Data Analysis 32
Limitations 32
ASSERTIONS 33
Teachers Recognize the Need for Environmental Education 33
The Importance of an Early Start and Upbringing 36
Limited Resources as a Barrier to Environmental Education 40
CONCLUSION 44
REFERENCES 47
APPENDIX 58
Semi-Structured Interview Questions 58
iii
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Governance Structure of the Education System in North Macedonia 5
Figure 2: Eco-School’s Seven Steps Framework 13
Figure 3: Bandura’s Social Learning Theory—Three Main Concepts 23
Figure 4: Mutual Involvement and Cooperation Triangle: Student, Parent, Teacher 38
iv
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
EE– Environmental Education
ESD– Education for Sustainable Development
UNEP– United Nations Environment Programme
UNECE– United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UNESCO– The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
SDGs– Sustainable Development Goals
OECD– Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
PISA– Programme for International Student Assessment
MoES– Ministry of Education and Science
EMIS– Education Management Information System
BDE– Bureau for Development of Education
UNICEF– United Nations Children Fund
OXO– Association for Education, Communication and Consulting
SDC– Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
FEE– Foundation for Environmental Education
GLOBE– Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment
v
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
INTRODUCTION
The Republic of North Macedonia1 is a landlocked country located in southeastern
Europe. It covers an area of 25.713 sq. km, bordering the countries of Albania, Greece, Serbia,
Bulgaria, and Kosovo. Although it is one of the smallest countries in Europe, North Macedonia
has an important ecological significance, being home to diverse flora and fauna (UNEP, 2020).
However, environmental degradation in the country has been a major issue for many years, with
deforestation, air and water pollution, and waste management being some of the most pressing
concerns (Rodic, 2019). In the face of incessant human-induced environmental destruction, the
future of Macedonian citizens depends on their ability to adopt more eco-friendly behaviors and
become more ecologically just citizens. Educational institutions are at the forefront of leading
that change because schools have the ability to reach large numbers of people and can raise
awareness and encourage sustainability.
Such environmental education initiatives began emerging around 1998 (UNECE, 2002).
In 2015, North Macedonia reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development by adopting
the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and prioritizing SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate
Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), among other goals (UN,
2020). Over the years, environmental education has become an essential part of the primary
school curriculum in North Macedonia through the integration of various environmental
education programs, including plans to transform traditional schools into eco-schools through
1 The name North Macedonia was adopted in 2019. Previously, the country’s official name was Macedonia.
1
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
curriculum enhancements, teacher training, and workshops (UNECE, 2011, 2019). However,
there is limited research pertaining to how teachers experience these changes personally and
professionally.
Teachers are responsible for conveying eco-material to students, hence, they play an
important role in student knowledge acquisition and awareness building. However being a
teacher comes with its own difficulties which might arise from large class sizes, lack of
resources, inadequate environment content knowledge, inadequate funding, and a lack of support
from administrators and parents. Teachers often face the challenge of having to meet the
demands of the curriculum while also meeting the individual needs of their students. Moreover,
being a teacher does not automatically mean one cares about the environment. Thus, it is vital to
consider how teachers in North Macedonia view environmental issues and their integration into
the curriculum and teaching.
This study aims to add to the growing body of literature by conducting a qualitative case
study of urban teachers in one public elementary school in Skopje. The research will be guided
by the following question:
● What are urban primary school teachers' experiences and perspectives on environmental
education in North Macedonia, and how can these perspectives and experiences inform
efforts to improve environmental education in the country?
This research is significant due to the lack of research on teacher experiences in North
Macedonia and because most environmental education and literacy studies conducted in the
2
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
country are quantitative. This qualitative approach will allow for an exploration of nuanced and
complex experiences and perspectives capturing more in-depth understanding related to
environmental science. By understanding the context and challenges teachers face, future
educational policies can be more informed and contextualized; thus, making the policy’s desired
outcomes more effective and attainable for teachers and students.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction: Primary Education in North Macedonia
This section delves into the education system in North Macedonia, with a focus on
primary education. Secondary and higher education are also briefly discussed to provide a
comprehensive understanding of the country's education system. It covers the structure,
governance, and funding of primary schools.
Structure
The educational system in North Macedonia is divided into three subsystems: primary,
secondary, and higher education (Eurydice, 2022). Primary education takes nine years to
complete. Children enroll in first grade at the age of 6 and graduate at the age of 15 (MoES,
2021). Enrollment in primary school is mandatory and free of charge (MoES, 2018). Evaluation
in grades one through three uses a descriptive system (criterion based), while in grades four
3
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
through nine, students are assessed with numerical marks on a scale of one to five (norm based)
(Eurydice, 2022).
The Macedonian language and its Cyrillic script is the official language of the country,
hence, it is used as the language of instruction in the majority of schools (Law on Primary
Education, 161/19, 229/20). However, minority language instruction is also provided in some
schools for certain ethnic groups, such as Albanian, Turkish, and Romani. Classes from first to
fifth grade are taught by a homeroom teacher, and from sixth to ninth grade by subject teachers.
The school year in primary school generally starts on September 1 and ends on August 31 of the
following year (Law on Primary Education, 161/19, 229/20).
The academic year consists of two semesters. The first semester begins on September 1,
and ends on December 30. The second semester begins on January 21, and ends on June 10. The
total school days are 180 per year. Lessons are 40 minutes long. Primary education in North
Macedonia is designed to support the inclusion of all children in the classroom (Law on Primary
Education, 161/19, 229/20). This refers to the inclusion of special needs children in the
mainstream classroom. Class sizes range from 20 to 30 students with one teacher leading the
instruction.
Governance
The education system in North Macedonia is both centralized and decentralized. The
Ministry of Education and Science is the overarching government institution for planning,
4
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
organization, and implementation of the educational policies at the national level (see Figure 1).
The functioning of the Ministry of Education and Science is supported by several bodies: Bureau
for Development of Education, Pedagogical Service, Centre for Vocational Education and
Training and Adult Education Centre.
Figure 1
Governance Structure of the Education System in North Macedonia
Note: The flowchart provides a broad overview of the governance structure in the country and does not
include all governance units and sub-units.
5
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Source: Adapted from OECD (2019), OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: North
Macedonia, OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education, OECD Publishing, Paris,
https://doi.org/10.1787/079fe34c-en.
According to MoES (2018):
The BDE is responsible for monitoring, expert review, research, promotion and
development of upbringing and educational activities in the field of pre-school education,
primary education, secondary general and secondary art education, secondary
vocational and postsecondary education, education of children with special educational
needs, adult education, educational activities of student dormitories, as well as for the
education of Macedonian citizens’ children abroad in relation of acquiring the language
and culture. (p.14)
On the local level, municipalities work in collaboration with the central government to
establish, fund, and manage primary (and secondary) schools, with the exception of the
secondary schools in the capital Skopje which are under responsibility of the City of Skopje2
(Eurydice, 2022). The municipalities are also responsible for organizing transportation, meals
and student accommodation (Law on Local Governance, 2002). Nevertheless, the OECD (2019)
claims that the education sector within municipalities remains understaffed and lacks sufficient
resources to carry out its management duties.
2 The capital Skopje is made up of 10 municipalities.
6
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
The primary school is governed by a school board that consists of seven members. These
include three representatives from the school’s teachers, professional staff and educators, three
representatives from the parents or guardians of the students, and one representative from the
school's founders. The school board meetings also invite two representatives from the student
parliament3. However, student representatives do not have voting privileges. School principals
are responsible for the day-to-day running of the school and its financial management (Law on
Primary Education, 161/19, 229/20).
One of the major challenges in the governance of the education system in North
Macedonia, according to the OECD (2019, p. 54) is that “the Ministry of Education and Science
lacks the technical capacity for evidence-based policy making or monitoring policy
implementation, which undermines the development of coherent and consistent policies and
strategic planning.” The OECD (2019) goes on to suggest that the lack of developed data
systems is a significant obstacle to creating evidence-based policies in North Macedonia. Though
the ministry established the Education Management Information System (EMIS) in 2010, it is
understaffed, underutilized, and not connected to other central databases. Additionally, data is
not consistent across different sectors due to varying definitions used by different entities. The
example provided is of the State Statistical Office and the Education Management Information
System relying on different definitions for indicating school drop-out. In this vein, it becomes
difficult to make policies based on accurate and reliable data.
3 The student parliament is composed of the class presidents. The student parliament is created to promote the
realization of student interests (Cheshlarov, et al., 2020).
7
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Another significant obstacle identified by the OECD (2019) is that the supporting
agencies affiliated with MoES mentioned above possess the technical proficiency, however, they
are frequently short-staffed and have deficiencies in certain skill sets such as those relating to
psychometrics, statistics, or information and communication technologies. These factors hinder
their ability to carry out their duties effectively. The review team discovered that the Bureau for
Development of Education, for instance, is lacking the resources required to carry out teacher
training OECD (2019). Moreover, these agencies lack a clear and strong voice and their
leadership positions are often subject to political influence or are left vacant. There is also no
established platform to ensure that these agencies collaborate and contribute to the development
of policies within the ministry. Hence, the OECD (2019) team recommends restructuring the
BDE to serve as the primary organization for teacher support and policy and providing it with the
necessary resources for this role.
Funding
Funds for financing the activity of primary education are provided by the Budget of the
Republic of North Macedonia, which are then distributed to the municipalities through Block
Grants. The municipalities then allocate the funds to the primary schools in its area to ensure the
implementation of the educational process (Law on Primary Education 161/19, 229/20).
Municipalities that are still in the initial phase of decentralization receive block grants to finance
the maintenance of infrastructure, while employee salaries in schools are still determined
8
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
centrally. Municipalities that have progressed to the second phase of decentralization receive
block grants for both infrastructure and employee salaries (Eurydice, 2022). In addition,
municipalities are allowed to raise funds from other sources in order to develop educational
programs, such as legacy funds, gifts, and bequests (Law on Primary Education 161/19, 229/20).
North Macedonia's public finances were reviewed by the World Bank (2019), which
found that public expenditures on education have consistently declined since 2011, particularly
for elementary education. Despite comprising a large percentage of total students, the spending
per student for primary education in North Macedonia is lower compared to the averages of
Southeast European countries and the EU (World Bank, 2019). In addition, municipal spending
varies significantly, with some municipalities spending considerably less than the national per
student average. The OECD (2019) found that disproportionate expenditure on education has
affected its quality, and it is considered to be a major reason for the low level of student
achievement in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
However, the barrier to quality education may not lie entirely in the poor investment in
primary education. According to the OECD (2019), “Neighboring countries have achieved
higher participation rates and better learning outcomes with similar educational expenditures.”
The underlying issue also appears to be inefficient allocations of the already limited resources
OECD (2019). The OECD (2016) exemplifies this notion through "The Computer for Every
Student” initiative in 2007-2008, which sought to provide every student in the classroom with a
computer. Although the program has led to North Macedonia having a high number of computers
9
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
per student, there is no proof that it has enhanced education outcomes, and the computers
acquired through this program are now outdated (OECD, 2019). Research from Nepal, a Global
South country, show that One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) failed to improve pedagogy and access
to better learning; thus, relegating the initiative altruistic in idea but failure in outcome
(Barksdale, Vernon & Upadhyay, 2021; Koirala, 2019). Furthermore, the OLPC was based on
Western idea of technology-based solutions for all social and environmental challenges. Thus:
The personal computer in its present state has both been designed with western
metaphors in mind, and has configured its audience to a point where the interface is quite
natural for us [Westerners]. We cannot deploy these same interfaces ‘as is’ without any
regard for cultural differences. (McArthur, 2009, p. 913)
Therefore, simply increasing expenditure in primary schools does not guarantee
successful implementation of environmental education; rather schools in North Macedonia need
to consider social, cultural, historical, and other aspects of environment education. Multiple
reports conducted by international organizations (OECD, 2019; UNICEF, n.d.; World Bank, n.d.)
prompt an entire revision of the government funding formula to make education more equitable
and effective. To this end, UNICEF partnered up with the World Bank to aid the Ministry of
Education and Science restructure its funding allocated to municipalities. According to UNICEF
(n.d.):
The new funding formula provides sufficient funding to schools for adequate
maintenance, suitable investment in equipment and teaching aids, professional training
10
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
and career development of the school staff, as well as an increased number of
professional associates. (p. 7)
With this new formula, UNICEF (n.d.) expects a 35% increase in municipality
investment for primary education by 2026. Thus, gradually increasing the country’s spending on
public education and bringing it closer to the EU and OECD standards. On February 20th 2023,
The North Macedonian Ministry of Education and Science officially announced the adoption of
the new formula on their website.
The minister admitted the current formula fails to distribute resources equitably among
municipalities in order to provide quality education to all students and meet the educational
standards in each school (MoES, 2023). MoES (2023) goes on to add that the current funding
system also does not allow municipalities to receive adequate funds for teacher professional
development, school inclusion, transportation, or other needs. Therefore, according to MoES
(2023), the new formula is designed to increase per pupil expenditure, provide funds for
transportation, cover expenses for students with special needs, for students from socially
disadvantaged families, and for students who follow instruction in the language of smaller ethnic
communities. Additional funds will also be provided to municipalities to assist them in adjusting
to the changes. Lastly, the formula will set in place certain parameters to motivate schools to
achieve better performance results. If the parameters are met, the schools will be able to receive
increased funding.
11
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Having provided an overview of the general structure, governance, and funding of the
North Macedonian education system, the subsequent section will explore the main initiatives for
environmental education in primary schools. Then, I will review common trends in the existing
literature on teachers' role in environmental education.
Environmental Education in North Macedonia
One of the earliest environmental education programs in North Macedonia was launched
in 1998 by the non-governmental organization OXO under the slogan "We don't have a spare
planet" (SDC, 2020). It was introduced as a response to the lack of political priority and public
awareness of environmental issues, particularly in the wake of the country's independence (SDC,
2020). The project was based on the global Eco-Schools program provided by the Foundation for
Environmental Education (FEE) with the aim to raise awareness of environmental issues and
inspire eco-friendly behavior among students and teachers (SDC, 2020). The Foundation for
Environmental Education (FEE) is an international non-profit organization that promotes
sustainable development and environmental education through its programs and initiatives. OXO
partnered up with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Ministry
of Education and Science (MoES, 2013) to implement the program by:
● Developing ecologically themed calendars
12
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
● Developing instructional materials for teachers on how to implement 9 ecological
themes: water, energy, maintaining a clean school environment, school grounds,
waste, biodiversity, transport, health, sustainable development
● Increasing the program’s capacity to include 53 kindergartens, 385 primary, and
100 secondary schools.
● Introducing four eco-standards (standards for sustainable development): a) Saving
energy; b) Saving water; c) Orderly and environmentally friendly yard; and d)
Maintaining the building and a healthy environment.
● Introducing a Small Grants Program.
● Organizing eco-activities year round such as: planting trees for the National Tree
Day, photo, fashion, and art competitions with nature and recycling themes, trash
pick-up events, and celebrating other Environmental holidays.
In order to realize the aforementioned points, the Macedonian Eco-Schools program
adopted the Seven Steps Framework provided by the Eco-Schools Network (see Figure 2) which
serves as a guideline for schools to manage their success. The framework shown in Figure 2
helps understand conceptualization and implementation of EE in Macedonian schools.
Figure 2
13
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Eco-School’s Seven Steps Framework
Source: Adapted from Eco-Schools (n.d.). How does it work? About Eco-Schools. Retrieved from
https://www.ecoschools.global/how-does-it-work
I briefly explain each step to give readers a sense of how teachers experience EE in
primary schools. a) Forming an eco-committee. The committee is student-led and is responsible
for promoting the program throughout the entire school, keeping the school community informed
and updated on progress. The composition of the committee can be diverse and include students,
14
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
teachers, the principal, non-teaching staff, parents, members of the board of management, and
other interested members of the community.
b) Carrying out an environmental review. The review is meant to help each school evaluate its
environmental and social impact. It allows the schools to identify areas that are working well, as
well as areas that need improvement.
c) Creating an Action Plan. The direction of the Action Plan should be determined by the
previously conducted review.
d)Monitoring and evaluation. The monitoring methods used will depend on the targets,
measurement criteria, and the age and ability of the students and other individuals who carry it
out as per the Action Plan. Evaluation is the next step after monitoring, it allows evaluating the
success of the activities and making changes to the Action Plan if necessary.
e) Curriculum work. Incorporating the program into the curriculum can be achieved through
specific classes or through innovative teaching techniques.
f) Informing and involving. This step refers to the engagement of the wider community through
newsletters, websites, and other national media outlets, as well as participation in Global Action
Days.
g) Creating an Eco-Code. The Eco-Code should be a unique statement echoing the main goals
of the schools’ respective Action Plan. The students are given the creative freedom to put their
message across.
15
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
These steps are designed to motivate schools to implement the Eco-School Program
successfully. The Green Flag award is given to schools that have successfully implemented the
Eco-School Program over a two year period and achieved high performance in meeting the seven
steps and any additional mandatory criteria. This is a prestigious award that many schools covet
because it gives recognition to the school, teachers, students, and their EE curriculum.
As a result, environmental education is now part of the compulsory curriculum at
preschool, primary, and secondary schools throughout the country, with OXO leading the
program until 2018. Today, for reasons unknown, North Macedonia is no longer officially part of
the FEE network. Nevertheless, records show that the Eco-School guidelines are still part of the
primary school curriculum.
In addition to the Eco-School program, there are other EE initiatives in formal education
such as the GLOBE project and UNICEF’s new EE program. Similarly to the Eco-School
program, The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) project is
an international initiative which is run by the U.S. Government through partnerships with other
countries. The aim of the program is “To increase awareness of individuals throughout the world
about the global environment, contribute to increased scientific understanding of the Earth and
support improved student achievement in science and mathematics” (GLOBE, n.d.). Currently,
there are a total of 38 schools involved in the program across North Macedonia, 21 of which are
primary schools.
16
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
In 2020, UNICEF in partnership with the the Ministry of Education and Science,
Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the
Embassy of Sweden in Skopje announced the launch of a new environmental education program
aimed at promoting environmental and climate change education at the pre-school, primary and
secondary level (UNICEF, 2020). Nevertheless, because the program is still in its infancy, little is
known about the progress and effectiveness of its implementation.
Among the aforementioned programs, the Eco-Schools program stands out as the most
successful in promoting environmental knowledge and awareness in primary and secondary
education (UNECE, 2019). Although numerous educational efforts have been undertaken
throughout the years, according to UNECE (2019) and Srbinovski (2021), the country has yet to
adopt a legal framework or policy on ESD that ensures a consistent, continuous integration of
environmental content.
To conclude, this section presented a background on the structure, governance, and
funding of the North Macedonian education system. It also highlighted the key initiatives that
have been taken to promote EE in formal education. This information sets the stage for
understanding the progress and current state of environmental education in the country. The next
section will delve deeper into the literature, specifically exploring the perspectives and
experiences of teachers in teaching environmental education, thus providing a more
comprehensive understanding of the challenges and successes of implementing environmental
education in the classroom.
17
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
The Teacher’s Role in Environmental Education
Environmental education can be taught in many different ways depending on the
methodological approach of the particular school (Monroe et al., 2008). The main distinction lies
between traditional, teacher-centered pedagogy where the students act as passive recipients of
knowledge and more student-centered pedagogy where students play an active role in learning
(Sarma, 2011). In EE, student-centered learning methods include place-based learning
(Gruenewald 2003), outdoor learning, garden-based learning, and other approaches in which
children are actively engaged in learning in a natural setting and interacting with their
surroundings (Eugenio-Gozalbo et al., 2021; Jucker & Von Au, 2022; Langran & DeWitt, 2020).
While there is no consensus on one single method for teaching environmental education, many
studies suggest student-centered approaches produce higher outcomes. Specifically, North
Macedonia's public schools generally provide learning in a traditional, didactic setting that often
hinders effective and successful acquisition of environmental literacy.
Teachers have an outsized influence on how students make sense of environment related
content. Many studies suggest that including environmental education in the curriculum is not
enough for the program to be successful (Srbinovski, 2004; Stanišić, 2016). Much of the effect
the program has on students depends on the teachers’ personal beliefs towards environmental
education as well as their preparedness to teach about eco-themes (Cotton, 2007; Esa, 2010;
Lindemann-Matthies & Knecht, 2011). One often finds a similar pattern when it comes to
18
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
teacher attitudes toward EE: a majority of teachers have positive views toward the environment,
but their desire for a better environment is not reflected in the effectiveness of their teaching or
tools and pedagogies they use (Srbinovski, 2004; Stanišić, 2016; Taylor et al., 2015; UNICEF,
2021). Lack of EE focused professional development opportunities is found to be a major
contributing factor. Furthermore, research continuously shows that many elementary teachers
lack strong science content knowledge (eg. Lowrenz, 1986; Rice, 2005). For example, a study
(Kaikas, 2004) showed that only 60% of Estonian teachers explained the season correctly. A
more surprising finding was that a majority of teachers believed that Estonia moved closer to the
Equator in the summer. Thus, teachers are much hesitant to engage in student-centered science
teaching for fear of looking less knowledgeable on the said topics (Kind, 2014). Since
environment education demands complex and multidisciplinary knowledge in science,
humanities, culture, and language, teachers might feel overwhelmed and less self-efficacious to
teach the subject.
According to Taylor and colleagues (2015, p. 7) “Teachers are often unaware of how to
integrate Education for Sustainability effectively into their teaching and therefore see it as
something “extra” to be “forced” into an already crowded curriculum.” North Macedonia also
appears to be experiencing this problem, as Srbinovski (2021) states “most teachers have not
been trained in experiential teaching methods, and do not know how to assess experiential
learning” (p. 10). Similar results were found in Serbian primary schools where an observational
study discovered that in day-to-day classes teachers mainly used frontal teaching and monologic
19
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
methods to teach environmental content (Stanišić, 2016). In other words, teachers are teaching
EE the way they normally teach other subjects. Nevertheless, many studies and frameworks have
(Ballantyne & Packer, 2010; Brunner, 1996; Flavell, 1963; Lucas, 1980; Monroe et al., 2008;
Thomson, et al., 2010) have established that in order for EE to be effective, students need to be
involved in constructive learning. The reasons for constructive learning in EE are that it
promotes students to not only learn the contents of EE but also critically examine how these
contents could be leveraged to make EE more personally connected to students’ lives.
Although the role of teachers in influencing student environmental knowledge and
behavior is firmly established. According to a recent nation-wide survey (UNICEF, 2021), a
significant number of teachers in North Macedonia believe school has a secondary role in
promoting pro-environmental behavior and that informal education, such as the knowledge
children acquire at home, has a substantial impact on shaping students’ behavior and beliefs.
Literature has extensively documented the benefits of parent involvement in schools in
terms of improving academic performance, social development, and overall well-being (Epstein
& Jarnsorn, 2004; Greenwood & Hickman, 1991; Henderson & Berla, 1994; Rumberger et al.,
1990; Swap, 1993; Whitaker & Fiore, 2016). In spite of this, there is no universally set policy or
rule for parent engagement in schools. This brings about varying levels of parent engagement
from school to school and between nations as well. According to Williams and colleagues
(2022), the factors that influence parent engagement in low- and middle-income countries are
seldom studied due to limited resources and fewer support services. However, a few studies
20
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
indicate low economic state and long working hours to be the main barriers to more frequent
parent participation in schools (Đurišić & Bunijevac, 2017; Hornby & Lafaele, 2011; Lawson,
2003; Williams et al., 2022). In the Balkans, it’s not the norm to have parent activities, however,
parent-teacher meetings do happen when the school is updating a child’s academic and
behavioral progress.
Despite the aforementioned obstacles, teachers in North Macedonia are increasing efforts
to realize more interactive EE activities. This is particularly the case during the celebration of
International nature holidays. By looking at North Macedonian primary school websites and
social media (OOU Slavcho Stojmenski, OOU Ljuben Lape, OOU Goce Delchev), one will find
many instances of teachers documenting environmental events and projects by uploading
pictures of their students holding eco-messages, recycled art work, presentations, and utilizing
their garden space. Thus, teachers seemed to be central in how and when EE teaching and
learning takes place in their classrooms.
Home Influence on Environment Education
As with any learning, home experiences influence what students' are interested in
learning, what they find meaningful, and how they view learning (Payne, 2005; Moll et al., 1992;
Upadhyay, 2005). Thus, environmental education and home experiences are intrinsically linked
because children interact with their local environment in positive and negative ways. A positive
experience with nature can be experienced through spring flowers, shade during the summer
21
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
heat, and playing in puddles of rain. However, natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes,
landslides, and avalanches can provide a negative experience. Furthermore, how parents explain
and interact with their children before, during, and after these events builds the basis for how and
what children find valuable in learning at school. As Payne (2005) showed, children develop a
greater sense of awareness about the environment and its consequences when their families are
more engaged with them in activities and interactions related to it. In a study of families’ and
children’s outdoor engagement with nature and nature related activities, the researchers found
that these interactions improved children’s awareness and environmental science knowledge
(Carrol, Paulsen & Andrews, 2021). Recognizing the value of home influence to build positive
and critical awareness surrounding human actions on the environment, the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has compiled resources that families can do with
their children from an early age (US EPA, n.d.). These activities include topics such as Recycle
City, Join the Lorax and Help Protect the Environment, Kid’s Air Quality Index Games, etc.
Many teachers, schools, and teacher education programs have recognized that home
experiences cannot be removed from classroom teaching and learning, specifically in STEM
fields (e.g. Barrable, 2019; Fien, 2000; Upadhyay & Aleixio, in press). Similar outcomes have
been reported in EE fields because EE fields tend to directly connect contents, activities, and
local issues (e.g. Ballard, Dixon & Harris, 2017; Chen & Monroe, 2012). In EE, most of the
issues that are addressed by classroom activities tend to be "wicked problems" with no
22
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
one-size-fits-all solution. Therefore, connections to home experiences could provide easily
connected and digestible contexts for elementary students and teachers alike.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This study primarily draws from the social learning theory (SLT) put forth by Bandura
(1977). In this theory, the social variables play a crucial role in learning and acquiring new skills,
values, behavior. Essentially, SLT has three main concepts shown in figure 4. The first concept
explains that people learn by observing the experiences of those around them. For instance, a
child may have multiple role models influencing their behaviors and beliefs, such as live role
models who demonstrate physical action, live role models who use language to verbally
demonstrate behavior, and symbolic role models in online media, movies, television programs,
and books. For children, role models can be parents, teachers, siblings, friends, peers, fictional
characters from books and cartoons, or celebrities. During his experiments, Bandura (1977)
found that children prefer to imitate models who are rewarded for their actions. Moreover,
positive reinforcement increases the child’s likelihood of maintaining that behavior.
Figure 3
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory—Three Main Concepts
23
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
The second concept proposed by SLT states that the process of learning also depends on
the individual’s mental state and intrinsic motivation to acquire new information. In other words,
humans have an inherent reward system that activates when we complete a task, making us feel a
sense of accomplishment. The third concept states that learning is not automatically linked to
change in behavior. According to Bandura (1977), effective learning depends on four main
processes: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation.
These three concepts allow me to better understand how Macedonian teachers view the
acquisition of environmental literacy. Behavior and knowledge is built on local, cultural,
historical, and familial interactions and thus shape how and what one does in their professional
24
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
and personal lives. Therefore, Badura’s (1977) social learning theory, along with Moll’s (1992)
idea of home-school connections, gives me a strong grounding to understand Macedonian
teachers’ experiences shaping their environmental education actions, ideas, and understanding.
RESEARCHER POSITIONALITY
I am a Macedonian Fulbrighter at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities pursuing my
master’s of arts degree in Comparative and International Development Education. My
undergraduate is in English Language and Literature with a specialization in teaching. I grew up
in the North Macedonian education system, therefore, I have first hand experience of what it
means to study in the given country. I believe education is the foundation for everything. The
first 12 years of schooling are the most crucial years for learning as children soak up the world
around them, develop core values, beliefs, habits, behaviors. Therefore, I contend that the only
way humanity can become sustainable long-term is if education systems leverage their position
as a medium for instilling positive values in youth about the natural world.
I am pleased to see that environmental education has gained momentum over the years,
particularly as a result of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, due to my teacher
background, I know that the successful implementation of EE depends on many contextual
factors such as teacher training, teacher willingness to teach, education policies, class sizes,
parental involvement, resources, and many other aspects of education. As I begin my research
career, I want to tackle each aspect one at a time. Hence, for my master’s thesis, I wanted to start
25
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
with a context that is very familiar to me and figure out for myself how much has changed since
I was in school.
There is no question that teachers' experiences should be emphasized. As a master's
student, I learned that education policies are generally decided by people without a background
in education (on an international scale, not only in North Macedonia). The policies they create
are therefore often not aligned with the cultural, societal, historical, and environmental context of
the specific setting/country. As a result, policies often end up falling short, overburdening
teachers and not realizing their intended outcome. It was therefore important to me to take a
community-based approach that would give voice to those who are tasked with the
implementation of these specific policies, the teachers.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Methodology
The purpose of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of urban primary school
teachers' perspectives on primary education in North Macedonia and identify potential areas for
improvement. This study uses a case study (Merriam, 1998) approach to document and
understand elementary teachers’ experiences in one primary school in Skopje. I specifically
follow Merriam’s notion of case study because it is based on a constructivist idea of
understanding and making sense of elementary teachers’ experiences. Merriam suggests that a
case study is about capturing how the participants deconstruct, construct, and make meaning of
26
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
the reality informed by their “social worlds'' (p.6). Thus allowing me to examine Macedonian
elementary teachers’ experiences informed by their social realities.
In this thesis, the focus is on the teachers’ experiences in teaching environmental content.
The aim of this study is to situate the issue within the context of a single school. As a result, it
provides a more comprehensive understanding of teacher opinions about environmental
education, as well as identifying contextual challenges to implementing EE. Thus this research
could provide a strong and in-depth example of how EE is experienced by teachers and could be
extended to other similar contexts.
Data Collection Methods
This research uses qualitative methods of interviewing primary school teachers in one
specific elementary school in Skopje. The interviews were carried out in the Macedonian
language and entail a total of seven participants. The interviews were semi-structured and were
guided by the questions showcased in Table 1. The interviews were carried out in person and
online. The interviews conducted in person encompassed one individual teacher interview, and
one group interview (four teachers). The place for the in-person interviews was an informal
setting, in a cafe near the school.
The questions that I asked during the interviews were focused on capturing their
understanding of environment education, school curriculum on environmental education, local
issues, their classroom teaching and activities, and potential local environmental issues and
27
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
challenges. The interview included questions such as, What does environmental education mean
to you as a teacher? Tell me about how you see environmental education in the curriculum?
What are some of the challenges of teaching environmental education? A more complete list of
the questions is provided in the appendix.
The online interviews included two individual teacher interviews. One of the interviews
was conducted via Zoom™ and the other via Viber™. A tape recorder was used for collecting
data from the interviews. After the interview, some written communication ensued through email
and Facebook™ (Messenger™) for clarifying certain answers. This research was conducted in
the span of nine months, from June 2022 to February 2023. Each interview lasted approximately
30 minutes.
The identities of the participants and the school are kept confidential and anonymous.
Therefore, the names representing the participants in this study are pseudonyms. The exact
location and name of the school are anonymous, henceforth referred to as “Edno Skolo” which
translates to “One School” from Macedonian.
Selection of Participants
Having grown up in Skopje, I decided to research elementary schools in the region,
specifically Edno Skolo, since I am more familiar with the area and the demographic it offers.
Edno Skolo is a large school with a total of 58 teachers and 838 students. The student and teacher
28
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
demographic is predominantly Macedonian and the language of instruction is also Macedonian.
The school demographic also includes minorities such as Albanian and Romani students.
Further, Edno Skolo first adopted the Eco-Schools program in 2012, and has been
implementing it ever since. Most of the teachers interviewed are experienced teachers who have
been teaching for over 10 years at the same school. Some of them have been teaching at Edno
Skolo before the Eco-Schools program was introduced, thus they can potentially provide rich
data that can help understand how generations have changed before and after the program’s
implementation. Moreover, I chose the following teachers because I knew some of them
personally and they helped me connect with the rest - a snowball method of participant
recruitment. More detail about the interviewed teachers is provided below:
1. Teacher Mary has been teaching at Edno Skolo for 28 years. She teaches lower primary
education, grade 1-5.
2. Teacher Olivia has been a teacher at Edno Skolo for 27 years. She teaches the
Macedonian language in upper primary, grades 5-9.
3. Teacher Eva has been a teacher at Edno Skolo for 38 years. She teaches lower primary
education, grades 1-5.
4. Teacher Каthy has been a teacher at Edno Skolo for 15 years. She teaches lower primary
education, grade 1-5.
29
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
5. Teacher Rebecca has been a teacher at Edno Skolo for 7 years. She teaches Geography in
upper primary education, grades 5-9. She is also the coordinator for the Eco-School
program at Edno Skolo.
6. Teacher Bianca has been a teacher at Edno Skolo for 12 years. She teaches lower primary
education, grade 1-5.
7. Teacher Anya has been a teacher at Edno Skolo for 4-5 years. She teaches Biology in
upper primary education, grade 5-9.
An additional factor which makes Edno Skolo a good sample school is because it does
not participate in the GLOBE program, and its involvement in UNICEF's new environmental
education program is unknown. UNICEF’s program is still in its infancy, and the number of
primary schools involved in GLOBE is relatively low. Therefore, because the Eco-Schools
program has been around the longest, and encompasses all primary schools in the country, Edno
Skolo is the closest representation of how primary schools in the urban setting implement
environmental education (at least those with a similar demographic).
Eco-School Program in Edno Skolo
As per the requirement of the Eco-School program, Edno Skolo has its own
eco-committee composed of student, teacher, parent, and technical personnel representatives.
Their main responsibility is creating an annual action plan for the realization of the
30
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
environmental program. The action plan is informed by survey results which the school
distributes annually. The action plan contains selected action points from the eco-standards, i.e.
the standards for sustainable development: saving energy, saving water, orderly and
environmentally friendly yard, maintaining of the building and a healthy environment. This
action plan goes beyond the curriculum and also refers to infrastructure such as equipping Edno
Skolo with sustainable water faucets (they turn off automatically), installing thermal insulation
and replacing old windows to save energy.
Edno Skolo’s curriculum integrates a total of five environmental themes; water, energy,
school grounds, and litter/waste are implemented in first to fifth grade and ‘transport’ theme is
added from grade 6 to 9. The integration of these five themes is compulsory for all grade and
subject teachers.
As part of the Eco-School program, Edno Skolo also holds various extracurricular
activities such as trash pick-up events for collecting plastic caps, used batteries, plastic bottles
and electronic waste. It additionally celebrates environmental holidays such as marking the First
Day of Spring and Ecology (March 21st) by engaging students in presentations, writing
eco-messages, creating sculptures from recycled materials and literary works on the topic of
Ecology. In this vein, it can be stated that Edno Skolo is actively participating in the Eco-Schools
program, which makes it an ideal candidate for examining teacher experiences in teaching
environmental education.
31
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Approach to Data Analysis
I analyzed data using qualitative data analysis methods. First, I transcribed the interviews,
then I translated them from Macedonian to English. After translating the interviews, I
commenced the analysis process. By reading and rereading the data, I identified common themes
and patterns among respondents and categorized them into codes and subcodes. I then evaluated
the data, and selected information which was relevant to answer the questions. Accordingly, I
prioritized the codes which were most consistent or frequent across the interviews. The final step
was synthesizing and interpreting the data in which I found correlations, connections, and
similarities between multiple categories generating key themes.
Limitations
This research does have limitations. It provides only one perspective (the teacher’s
perspective) in relation to opinions and challenges pertaining to the issues, ideas, curriculum, and
implementation of environmental education. Similarly, it does not provide the perspective of
other stakeholders such as parents, students, and policymakers. Furthermore, the results relied on
interview data only; thus, day-to-day teaching of environment science and discourses between
students and teachers and among the student peers is absent from this study. Therefore, this
study’s results might not transfer to classroom interactions.
32
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
ASSERTIONS
Teachers Recognize the Need for Environmental Education
North Macedonia has struggled with pollution for many years, including poor air quality,
water pollution, and waste (University of Gothenburg, 2009). The analysis of the data shows that
teachers at Edno Skolo are aware of the country’s deteriorating environmental state, and thus
they emphasized the importance of teaching younger generations eco-friendly habits and
behaviors. As Mary states, “We only have one planet, there is no backup. So we should really try
to protect it. Just as we elders should learn, children should also be taught about these issues''.
According to the teachers, the need for environmental education stems from the fact that people
are the main cause of the degradation. The most common example provided was littering, which
continues to be an ongoing issue in the country. In Olivia’s experience:
When you go somewhere for a walk and you don’t see a trash bin, that means I either put
what I want to throw away in my pocket, hold it in my hand, put it in my purse, or I don't
throw it everywhere…unfortunately, most people don’t think twice about throwing their
trash on the ground.
I noticed a much stronger criticism from Eva on littering and making a direct link to a
lack of basic manners. Although there is limited research on why Macedonian citizens fail to
properly dispose of trash, a recent study on public opinion suggested lack of awareness to be the
most prevalent reason (Parker, et al., 2022). Nevertheless, as waste represents one of the five
33
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
main ecological themes in the Edno Skolo curriculum, teachers are hopeful that their teaching
will have a positive impact on future generations. In Mary’s words:
As I told you right from the start, we only have one planet, and so this destructive path
that we [people] are on…I think this destructive spirit, through this program...and I say
“program”, but the point is not just to go through the steps and realize the program, but to
really change something in ourselves, to instill in the children eco-friendly values for
them to lead such a way of life.
Mary’s comment indicates that the Eco-Schools program has the potential to shift the
exploitative relationship people have with nature. Through her long career at Edno Skolo, Mary
has observed improvements in environmental behavior through generations. She stated, “I notice
that students increasingly try to use more recycled paper…to make as little waste as possible
with the paper. In the past, even two notebook pages at a time were torn and thrown just like
that”. The other teachers from the focus group interview also reflected on how their students
enjoyed taking part in eco-activities such as clean ups, with teacher Anya stating “you know,
they are always excited, everytime when we have such an activity, they are happy to take part”.
Olivia, who teaches upper primary school, also shared how in group discussions, students had
the ability to influence each other to think more consciously about nature, as she explained:
They honestly like to discuss like that, they tell examples from everyday life that they
have seen, what they are like, even if there is someone in the class who is like...not very
34
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
civilized in that regard, they point him/her out and we try to influence him/her in a
positive way...to awaken that awareness in them.
To conclude this section, the teachers at Edno Skolo believe that school can be an
effective tool to shape the future of Macedonian society to harbor more environmentally-friendly
mindsets and behaviors, based on their personal experiences working with students before and
since the establishment of the eco-school program in 2012. Essentially, this belief is in alignment
with the theory that the curriculum has the power to shape the way children understand
themselves and the world, as it is through the curriculum that cultural values and norms are
transmitted to the next generation (White, 1934; Apple, 1993). While the eco-themes in Edno
Skolo's curriculum do not reflect all of North Macedonia's environmental issues, they represent
some of the most everyday aspects of life that the country and its people are struggling with: air,
water, waste, energy, and transportation. As teacher Rebecca claimed in the group interview, “If
these five themes are properly implemented, then I truly believe we will reach the peak”. In her
use of the phrase "the peak", Rebecca implies that successful implementation of EE will result in
an environmentally conscious Macedonian citizenry and a sustainable society.
Nevertheless, the road of character-building is multifaceted, as instructional material is
not the only thing that can influence a child to uphold certain values. Hence, the teachers at Edno
Skolo strongly believed that an early start in developing environmental awareness is the key to
success. To this end, the following section will expand on the role of kindergartens and home
upbringing.
35
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
The Importance of an Early Start and Upbringing
The Edno Skolo interviewees expressed similar sentiments to UNICEF's (2021) results,
in that primary education has limited impact on students’ environmental awareness unless the
home upbringing is part of it as it lays the foundation for future learning. Most of this
environmental awareness could be seen in the context of waste disposal, where teachers
expressed difficulties encouraging proper habits in their students. Olivia explains:
I really want to influence everyone, but believe me, it mostly comes from home. That
environmental education is acquired from the earliest age when we don’t have contact
with the children. Now we are trying to influence something, we want to influence
them… from the most basic thing of throwing trash in a trash bin…you know, there are
those who are not even that much civilized, to throw the trash in the trash bin in the
classroom. So, home upbringing is the foundation for everything, and all we can do is
build upon that, especially 6th, and 7th grade onward…believe me, those are already built
personalities.
According to the teachers, even the first grade is not early enough to begin teaching
children environmental attitudes. For instance, Mary, who teaches lower primary education also,
explains how she believes they [teachers] have missed the start of the child’s development:
So...in our PE classes, they yell, throw, cheer, they snack on sunflower seeds and leave
trash everywhere, and so on...in that sense. And then they leave and you tell somebody
36
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
else to pick it up, and then…in that sense. So, this is because we haven’t…caught the
kids at the start.
Nevertheless, for the teachers at Edno Skolo, the challenges of home upbringing does not
only refer to the time before children enroll in primary school. The other major theme that came
up in the interviews was the importance of continuous parental support and involvement in the
education process. This is because teachers believe children learn conflicting behavior in school
and at home. While the teachers are not able to observe the parents' behavior at home, it is
assumed that if children are taught to recycle, and properly dispose of trash at school, but they
keep doing the opposite, then this means students are displaying the behaviors they see at home.
In the words of Teacher Eva, who also teaches lower primary education, “Essentially it is
difficult for the children…you see one type of behavior in the school area and another in the area
where you live.” Hence, the teachers are evoking the social learning theory of how learning is
acquired through observation and imitation.
The social learning theory describes how parental behavior can serve as a model for
children's own behavior (Bandura, 1977). Moreover, Bandura (1977) acknowledges that the
socialization processes in the family and school contexts may have differing goals, values, and
norms, and these differences can sometimes result in conflicting messages and expectations for
children. Therefore, students not only experience value dissonance but also in learning content of
environmental science. This also points to the fact that disconnect between home experiences
and school experiences in pedagogy, beliefs, and values negatively affects students’ engagement
37
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
and success in learning (Aikenhead, 2001; Buck, Chinn & Upadhyay, 2023; Moll et al., 1996;
Upadhyay, 2006). This home-school disconnect is seen in the topic of collecting trash has been
found to be particularly problematic in some instances. For example, in environmental education,
picking up trash from the ground is seen as noble work in the sense that it keeps the environment
clean. However, Mary noted an instance where picking up trash can be perceived as a degrading
activity for some parents, “You constantly have to warn them [students] about something, and
you end up nagging them. Then when a parent comes up to you and says ‘you were making my
child collect garbage’... it becomes clear that you need to cross an obstacle to move on.” Hence,
the teachers put forth the concept of mutual involvement and cooperation triangle between the
students, teachers, and parents (shown in Figure 4).
Figure 4
Mutual Involvement and Cooperation Triangle: Student, Parent, Teacher
38
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
The triangle represents how in order for successful environmental education (and other
types of education) to take place, there must be open communication and mutual collaboration
between the parent, the teacher, and the student. As opposed to a linear line of communication
where the student complains to the parent, and the parent complains to the teacher. This
collaboration could be achieved through active parent involvement in some of the activities. For
instance, Olivia suggested organizing activities and workshops with a competitive nature in
which parents and children would participate together. This would help them (the parent and
39
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
child) spend more time together, learn together, create something together and present it to the
group. While these types of activities are recommended by teachers, according to Mary, there
seems to be limited interest from parents to participate. Therefore, more research is needed to
fully understand why such interactive activities have not been put in place yet. Additionally, to
overcome this mismatch between home and school, it would be more valuable for teachers to
seek greater inclusion of parents in curriculum redesign, sharing of home practices with teachers,
bringing parents as guest-speakers on the topics of their expertise, and suggesting local activities
that most or all parents can successfully attain.
Limited Resources as a Barrier to Environmental Education
For many years, North Macedonia has significantly underfunded its public education
system (OECD, 2020). Despite recent increases in primary education spending (World Bank,
2021), Edno Skolo teachers reported continually working with limited to no funding to realize
their environmental activities. Therefore, in many cases, teachers engage students in recycled art
projects using commonly available materials like Styrofoam, plastic bottles, tires, that can be
brought from home by students. In the group interview, Rebecca exemplifies this when talking
about an ongoing Recycled Mural Art Project:
We try to work without funding, to work modestly. We try to make something out of
nothing, honestly, like the example with the cap mural. Or to bring something from home
if we don't need it. For example, this year with the waste materials...we decided to
40
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
beautify the interior of our school. So in the restroom, we will create murals with caps on
the theme water.
Organizing recycled art projects with limited funding does not seem to pose a significant
disadvantage because the concept of recycling itself refers to repurposing waste materials for
use. In addition, teachers show flexibility and experience when it comes to implementing such
activities. However, even though recycling is an essential part of environmental education,
students are unable to fully participate in many other aspects of environmental education due to
lack of funding. The most common example provided was the lack of gloves during trash pick up
events, as Каthy recounts:
We had an eco-action on the 21st where we all participated. We collected the trash…and
the kids are always excited when there is such an event, and they want to participate. So
they were all asking for gloves, but there was only one pair.
Bianca joined the conversation and added, “Gloves really are a basic need, yet we have a
huge shortage, realistically-speaking.” While there have been moments when gloves were
provided to all students, insufficient resources also limit how frequently such activities can take
place. In other words, projects such as the ones described above are considered “big” projects,
and can only be organized a few times a year, mainly in celebration of environmental holidays.
Hence, the majority of the time, teachers focus on lecture based lessons in order to be
cost-effective. In this vein, Bianca states “Because we lack resources, we can’t always undertake
41
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
some big challenges, so with the younger students, we try to engage them in environmental
songs.”
In addition, Olivia brought to the fore how inadequate funding prevents her from
providing students with more hands-on learning experiences. She exemplifies how in the case of
teaching about water pollution, she cannot physically take the students to see the actual state of
the Vardar river to make their learning more engaging:
The school doesn't have the resources, when you want, to simply put the children on a
bus and take them somewhere to see something on the spot, in person. Take Vardar for
example, because I mentioned it earlier…literally to go to Vardar...I don't know, it's
tough, for example, one picnic outing costed around, let’s say 350 denars ($6.12). That is
not little for many families. Even the most basic outing has to provide something to
eat…Like so, everything is connected economically. Maybe it doesn’t sound nice, but a
financial struggle plays a key role…like a stumbling block so to speak…
In view of the aforementioned, the interviews imply that environmental education is not
reaching its full potential due to financial constraints. This notion is in line with current literature
supporting the shortcomings of the country’s funding formula for primary education.
Furthermore, the teachers are also pointing to the fact that environmental education has financial
and time costs for teachers, parents, students, and schools. Without these costs being covered,
environment education suffers despite teachers' efforts at Edno Skolo. Nonetheless, these
42
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
findings also provide insight into what areas need to be addressed by the revised funding
formula.
More specifically, for the purpose of advancing environmental education, this finding
suggests there is great potential investing in reusable gloves for students to use during trash pick
up events. Reusable gloves could be a solution to address the issue of the need for constant
resupply, and prevent further pollution caused by the non-recyclable material that the gloves are
made of. An important unintentional consequence of gloves, which are made out of latex, is that
they are single use; thus creating a concern where recycling is not possible with the latex gloves.
Further, investing in school transportation to local sites which will improve
context-learning. Due to the small size of North Macedonia, things are extremely close in
proximity to each other, making them easily accessible by car, on foot, or by bicycle. In fact,
Edno Skolo is only a 4-minute drive away from the longest and most prominent river in the
country, the Vardar river, previously mentioned by Olivia.
The Vardar river, like other large rivers in North Macedonia, is highly polluted,
particularly in the urbanized areas (Dimitrovska et al., 2020). As a result, not investing in
organized school transportation is a missed opportunity for contextualized instruction. Context
can facilitate learning by linking concepts to real-life situations and has been shown to be
effective by several pedagogical theories, including problem-based learning, action learning,
situated cognition, and experiential learning (Barrows & Tamblyn, 1980; Brown, Collins &
Duguid, 1989; Kolb, 1984; Lave & Wenger, 1991; McGill & Beaty, 1995; Westera, 2011).
43
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Today's level of technological advancement makes it possible to bring context into the classroom
in a cost-effective manner through videos, images and other visual and auditory aids (Westera,
2011). Nevertheless, visiting a specific site in person can provide a more immersive experience,
allowing the students to see, hear, and feel the surroundings, which can deepen their
understanding and appreciation of the context. Visiting areas such as the Vardar in person would
provide students with a firsthand experience of the state of their environment, thus, making the
issue more tangible, and perhaps even inspire them to make improvements. Lastly, funding could
be allocated to address other areas mentioned in the previous assertions, such as organizing joint
parent-student workshops for raising environmental awareness.
In conclusion, the teachers at Edno Skolo provided valuable insight into the financial
barriers to implementing environmental education, which can be used to inform future
decision-making regarding funding in primary schools in North Macedonia to improve
environment education that is more connected to students' home experiences. Teachers play a
crucial role in education, hence, utilizing evidence-based research is essential in ensuring the
efficient use of resources.
CONCLUSION
To conclude this case study, primary teachers in North Macedonia believe that
environmental education is a crucial step towards achieving sustainable development.
Addressing the various aspects of pollution the country is facing was a key concern among
44
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
teachers. The teachers argued that lack of awareness and manners was the major reason behind
littering, hence, more attention should be paid in schools in order to instill proper habits in
children. That being said, the teachers noticed a positive shift in student behavior since the
introduction of the Eco-Schools program. For instance, children appeared less wasteful with
school material. Moreover, they are eager to take part in organized clean-ups, gardening,
discussions, presentations, and environmentally-themed art projects. Hence, teachers have a
strong belief that EE can reinforce and aid the process of raising environmentally-responsible
citizens.
Even though formal education is critical in fostering environmental consciousness in
students, many teachers expressed that its effects are unlikely to be permanent without parent
support and involvement. The reason is that behavior and values are shaped by multiple factors,
and school is only one of them. The teachers believe that parents should set a strong example for
their children by teaching and emulating environmental education even before their child enrolls
in primary school. In addition, continuous parental support in teaching their children eco-values
and habits will help students avoid relapsing into improper behavior as they grow.
In some cases, parental values do not align with those of EE, which is why parent
involvement is crucial in relation to EE. For instance, parents have been upset when their child
was reprimanded by their teacher for not picking up litter. Teachers believe that a way for mutual
cooperation between parents, teachers and students can be established is through
ecologically-themed integrative workshops and events where parents and students work together
45
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
to complete a task. A competitive spirit was viewed as beneficial because it would make
ecological deeds more rewarding for the workshop participants. The value of parent engagement
in children’s learning seems to show many lifelong benefits as well as school learning and
participation in classroom discourses that deepens learning (eg. Anne E. Casey Foundation,
2022). Similarly, studies in outdoors and informal education have shown that parent participation
seems to have positive outcomes in school (eg. Sudit, 2018).
The final point made by teachers was that lack of funding limits the realization of
environmental education in multiple ways. For instance, to cut costs for supplies, teachers mainly
gravitate towards recycling-based projects where students can use materials from home to create
recycled artworks. Moreover, teachers reported that shortage of resources is most strongly felt
during organized yard clean-ups where the school cannot afford to supply all students with
gloves. The frequency of such organized extracurricular activities is also impacted, and most of
the time, lower primary teachers try to be resourceful by engaging younger students in eco-songs
and literature which are more cost-effective activities. The teachers in upper primary school
suggested investing in transportation would make learning more contextual for students and
would motivate them to improve their behavior. Since older students were reported to be
enjoying discussioning and learning about environmental issues, teacher Olivia in particular
regretted not being able to provide them with valuable on-site (place-based) learning experience.
The aspect of funding also makes a cross-assertion connection and suggests that funding
be used to develop interactive parent-student workshops to promote EE, mentioned above. I hope
46
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
this case study can be used to inform the North Macedonian Ministry of Education and Science
and its partners of the areas needed to be addressed in the country’s primary schools to promote
environmental education.
REFERENCES
Aikenhead, G.S. (2001). Students' ease in crossing cultural borders into school science.
Science Education. 85 (2), 180-188.
https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-237X(200103)85:2<180::AID-SCE50>3.0.CO;2-1
Albrecht, N. & Upadhyay, B. (2018). What do refugee mothers want in U.S. school
science: Learning from the perceptions of science of three Somali mothers. The
Urban Review, 50, 604-629. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-018-0458-9
Anne E. Casey Foundation (2022). Parental Involvement in Your Child’s Education. Retrieved
March 19, 2023, from
https://www.aecf.org/blog/parental-involvement-is-key-to-student-success-research-show
s
Apple, M. (1993). The Politics of Official Knowledge: Does a National Curriculum Make Sense?
Teachers College Record (1970), 95(2), 222-241.
Ballantyne, R., & Packer, J. (1996). Teaching and Learning in Environmental Education:
Developing Environmental Conceptions. The Journal of Environmental Education, 27(2),
25-32.
47
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Ballard, H. L., Dixon, C. G. H., and Harris, E. M. (2017). Youth-focused citizen science:
examining the role of environmental science learning and agency for conservation.
Biological Conservation, 208, 65-75.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory (Prentice-Hall series in social learning theory).
Prentice Hall.
Barksdale, S., Upadhyay, B. & Vernon, M. (2021). Teacher professional development in Nepal:
Mobile and limited technology-enhanced pedagogy. International Journal of Technology
in Education and Science(IJTES), 5(4), 486-511. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijtes.249
Barrable, A. (2019). The case for nature connectedness as a distinct goal of early childhood
education. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(2),
59-70.
Bruner, J. (1996). The culture of education. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Buck, G. A., Chinn, P. & Upadhyay, B. (2023). Urban and rural science education research:
Expanding conceptual tools involving place and context. In N. Lederman, D. Zeidler and
J. Lederman (Ed.) Handbook of Science Education (Volume III) (pp. 359-388).
Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367855758-15
Carrol, E., Paulsen, O. & Andrews, R.J. (2021). Engaging Children and Families in Active,
Environmental Science Learning through Digital Media. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from
https://naturalstart.org/sites/default/files/journal/7._paulsen_et_al_final.pdf
48
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Cheng, J. C. H., and Monroe, M. C. (2012). Connection to nature: Children’s affective attitude
toward nature. Environment and behavior, 44(1), 31-49.
Cotton, D. (2006). Implementing Curriculum Guidance on Environmental Education: The
Importance of Teachers' Beliefs. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 38(1), 67-83.
Durisic, M., & Bunijevac, M. (2017). Parental involvement as an important factor for successful
education. CEPS Journal, 7(3), 137-153.
Epstein, J., & Jansorn, N. (2004). School, Family and Community Partnerships Link the Plan.
The Education Digest, 69(6), 19.
Esa, N. (2010). Environmental knowledge, attitude and practices of student teachers.
International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 19(1), 39-50.
Eugenio-Gozalbo, M., Ramos-Truchero, G., & Suárez-López, R. (2021). University
gardens for sustainable citizenship: Assessing the impacts of garden-based learning on
environmental and food education at Spanish higher education. International Journal of
Sustainability in Higher Education, 22(3), 516-534.
Eurydice. (2021). National education systems: North Macedonia. Retrieved March
21, 2023 from
https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/republic-north-macedonia
/republic-north-macedonia
Fien, J. (2000). Education for the environment: A critique—an analysis. Environmental
Education Research, 6(2), 179–192
49
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Flavell, J. (1963). The developmental psychology of Jean Piaget (The University series in
psychology). Van Nostrand.
GLOBE. (n.d.). About GLOBE. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.globe.gov/about
Greenwood, G., & Hickman, C. (1991). Research and Practice in Parent Involvement:
Implications for Teacher Education. The Elementary School Journal, 91(3), 279-288.
Gruenewald, D. A. (2003). The best of both worlds: a critical pedagogy of place. Educational
Researcher, 32, 3-12.
Henderson, Anne T., Ed, & Berla, Nancy, Ed. (1994). A New Generation of Evidence: The
Family is Critical to Student Achievement.
Hornby, G., & Lafaele, R. (2011). Barriers to parental involvement in education: An explanatory
model. Educational Review (Birmingham), 63(1), 37-52.
Jucker, R., & Von Au, J. (2022). High-Quality Outdoor Learning : Evidence-Based
Education Outside the Classroom for Children, Teachers and Society. Springer
International Publishing AG.
Kikas, E. (2004). Teachers’ conceptions and misconceptions concerning three
Natural phenomena. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41, 432–448.
Kind, V. (2014). Science Teachers’ Content Knowledge. In H. Venkat, M. Rollnick, J. Loughran,
and M. Askew (Eds.) Exploring Mathematics and Science Teachers' Knowledge (pp.
15-29). Routledge.
Langran, E., DeWitt, J. (2020). How and Why Placed-Based Learning Works. In:
50
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Navigating Place-Based Learning. Palgrave Macmillan,
https://doi-org.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/10.1007/978-3-030-55673-0_2
Law on Local Governance. (2002). Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia, (5).
Retrieved March 21, 2023, from
https://aa.mk/WBStorage/Files/Zakon_lokalnata_samouprava.pdf
Law on Primary Education. (161/19, 229/20). Official Gazette of the Republic of North
Macedonia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2023, from
https://mon.gov.mk/stored/document/Zakon%20za%20osnovnoto%20obrazovanie%20-%
20nov_1.pdf
Lawson, M. (2003). School-Family Relations In Context. Urban Education, 38(1), 77-133.
Lindemann-Matthies, P., & Knecht, S. (2011). Swiss Elementary School Teachers' Attitudes
Toward Forest Education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 42(3), 152-167.
Lucas, A. (1980). Science and Environmental Education: Pious Hopes, Self Praise and
Disciplinary Chauvinism. Studies in Science Education, 7(1), 1-26.
McArthur, V. (2009). Communication technologies and cultural identity a critical discussion of
ICTs for development. 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference Science and
Technology for Humanity (TIC-STH), Toronto, ON, Canada, 910-914.
10.1109/TIC-STH.2009.5444367
Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education.
Jossey-Bass.
51
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Ministry of Education and Science. (2019). Concept for the development of
elementary education 2019-2023. Retrieved March
21, 2023 from
https://mon.gov.mk/stored/document/koncepcija%20osnovno%20obrazovanie%20en.pdf
Ministry of Education and Science. (2018). Education strategy for 2018-2025 and
action plan. Retrieved March 21, 2023 from
https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ressources/macedonia-education-strate
gy-for-2018-2025-and-action-plan-strategija-za-obrazovanie-eng-web-1.pdf
Ministry of Education and Science. (2013). Eco-schools Network Republic of Macedonia.
Retrieved April 11, 2023 from
http://ambassadors-env.com/wp-content/uploads/Eco-schools-Macedonia-web.pdf
Ministry of Education and Science. (2023. Shaqiri: New funding system for higher quality
primary education. Retrieved April 6, 2023 from https://mon.gov.mk/content/?id=6001
Moll, L. C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for
teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into
Practice, 31(2), 132–141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849209543534
Monroe, M., Andrews, E., & Biedenweg, K. (2008). A Framework for Environmental
Education Strategies. Applied Environmental Education and Communication, 6(3-4),
205-216.
OECD. (2019). OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: North
52
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Macedonia, OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education, OECD
Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/079fe34c-en.
OECD (2016), PISA 2015 Results (Volume II): Policies and Practices for Successful
Schools, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264267510-en.
Parker, Kimberly A., Sarah Geegan, Erin Hester, Miodraga Stefanovska, and Bobi Ivanov.
(2022). “We See Our Country as a Trash Can”: Exploring Pollution-Related Attitudes
among Young People in North Macedonia. The International Journal of Climate Change:
Impacts and Responses 14 (2): 105-124. doi:10.18848/1835-7156/CGP/v14i02/105-124.
Payne, P. G. (2005). Families, Homes and Environmental Education. Australian
Journal of Environmental Education, 21, 81–95. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44656440(9)
(PDF) Science teachers' content knowledge. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262536023_Science_teachers'_content_knowle
dge
Rice, D. (2005). I didn’t know oxygen could boil! What preservice and
inservice elementary teachers’ answers to ‘simple’ science questions reveals about their
subject matter knowledge. International Journal of Science Education, 27,1059–1082
Rodic, A. (2019). Current state and development of the Shared Environmental
Information System (SEIS) North Macedonia. UNECE. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from
https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2021-12/UNDA%20North%20Macedonia%20ENG.p
df
53
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Rumberger, R., Ghatak, R., Poulos, G., Ritter, P., & Dornbusch, S. (1990). Family Influences on
Dropout Behavior in One California High School. Sociology of Education, 63(4),
283-299.
Sarma, Q. (2011). “Environmental Education”–Education for Sustainability and Its
Effectiveness in Creating Awareness: A Case Study of Guwahati City. Environmental
Education, 10.
Srbinovski, Mile. (2004). The teacher as a factor of the environmental education in the
Macedonian schools.
Srbinovski, Mile. (2021). STUDENTS' ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY IN THE
REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA-THEMATIC MONOGRAPH.
Stanišić, J. M. (2016). Characteristics of teaching environmental education in primary schools.
Inovacije u nastavi-časopis za savremenu nastavu, 29(4), 87-100.
Suid, A. (2018). Formal and informal parental involvement and children’s academic achievement
[Master Thesis California State University, Fullerton]. California State University
Repository. https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/02870w64v.
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. (2020). "We don't have a spare planet" –
environmental protection through education. Embassy of Switzerland in North
Macedonia. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from
https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/india/en/home/international-cooperation/projects.ht
ml/content/dezaprojects/SDC/en/2002/7F02079/phase5.html?oldPagePath=
54
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Taylor, Quinn, Eames, Taylor, Neil, Quinn, Frances, & Eames, Chris. (2015). Educating for
sustainability in primary schools : Teaching for the future. Rotterdam: Sense.
Thomson, G., Hoffman, J., &amp; Staniforth, S. (2010). Measuring the Success of
Environmental Education Programs. Alberta Council for Environmental Education.
Retrieved March 20, 2023, from
https://www.abcee.org/sites/default/files/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Measuring_the
_Success_Sept_7_2010-1.pdf
UNICEF. (2022). Knowledge, attitudes and practices study on climate change and the
environment (teachers). UNICEF for every child North Macedonia. Retrieved March 20,
2023, from
https://www.unicef.org/northmacedonia/reports/knowledge-attitudes-and-practices-study-
climate-change-and-environment-teachers
UNICEF. (n.d.). Policy Brief: School Optimization and Funding Reform. Retrieved
March 21, 2023 from
https://www.unicef.org/northmacedonia/media/11611/file/Policy%20brief%20-%20schoo
l%20optimization%20and%20funding%20reform%20(ENG).pdf
UNICEF North Macedonia. (2021). New environmental education
programme puts youth at the forefront of climate action. Retrieved
55
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
March 22, 2023 from
https://www.unicef.org/northmacedonia/press-releases/new-environmental-education-pro
gramme-puts-youth-forefront-climate-action
United Nations. (2020). Voluntary National Review 2020: North Macedonia. Retrieved, March
21, 2023, from
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/26387VNR_2020_Macedonia_
Report.pdf
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. (2002). The first Environmental
Performance Review, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. UNECE. Retrieved
March 19, 2023 from
https://unece.org/environment-policy/publications/1st-environmental-performance-review
-former-yugoslav-republic
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. (2011). The second Environmental
Performance Review, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. UNECE. Retrieved
March 19, 2023 from https://unece.org/info/publications/pub/2161
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. (2019). The third Environmental
Performance Review of North Macedonia. UNECE. Retrieved March 19, 2023 from
https://unece.org/environment-policy/publications/3rd-environmental-performance-revie
w-north-macedonia
United Nations Environment Programme. (2020). Red lists: Gauging the force of
56
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
nature in North Macedonia. UNEP. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/red-lists-gauging-force-nature-north-maced
onia
United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA] (n.d.). Learning Adventures at Home
or at School Environmental Education Resources. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/documents/learning_adventures_at_home
_or_at_school.pdf
Upadhyay, B. (2006). Using students’ lived experiences in an urban science classroom: An
elementary school teacher’s thinking. Science Education, 90 (1), 94-110.
https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20095
Upadhyay, B. & Aleixo, M. (in press). Community-Initiated Science for Transformative
Teaching. Journal of Science Teacher Education.
Whitaker, T., & Fiore, D. (2016). Dealing with difficult parents (Second ed.). Routledge Taylor &
Francis Group.
Williams, M., Foran, H., Hutchings, J., Frantz, I., Taut, D., Lachman, J., . . . Heinrichs, N.
(2022). Exploring Factors Associated with Parent Engagement in A Parenting Program in
Southeastern Europe. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31(11), 3097-3112.
World Bank. (2019). North Macedonia Public Finance Review: Sowing the Seeds of a
57
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Sustainable Future. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/159301557513724528/pdf/North-Macedoni
a-Public-Finance-Review-Sowing-the-Seeds-of-a-Sustainable-Future.pdf
APPENDIX
Semi-Structured Interview Questions
1. What does environmental education mean to you as a teacher?
2. What does environmental education mean to you as a person?
3. Tell me about how you see environmental education in the curriculum?
4. Could you tell me how you incorporate environmental education in your lesson plans?
5. What are some of the challenges of teaching environmental education?
6. What are some of the benefits of teaching environmental education in primary school?
7. Could you share your experience with teaching environmental education?
8. What are some of the resources you feel you need the most to effectively teach
environmental education?
9. What are some of the ways you feel the school could support you to teach environmental
education to primary students?
10. If you were to be given the power to change the environmental education curriculum
what are some of the suggestions you would give. Why?
58
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA
11. Is there anything else you would like to share with me that you think is very important?
12. Do you have any questions for me about participation in this study?
59