Educação ambiental e risco de desastres naturais: análise integrada da percepção de alunos e professores de uma escola em Macaé - RJ

Abstract

The Natural disasters are becoming more and more frequent in the world. In general, in the State of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, most disasters are associated with extreme events, such as intense and dry rains, which cause social and economic damage to affected areas. In this sense, environmental education appears as an alternative, since it seeks to mediate information to the population, helping in the construction of critical knowledge. In view of this, this study evaluated the insertion of environmental education and risk perception of students and teachers of a public school in Macaé-RJ regarding the occurrence of natural disasters, through data obtained through semi-structured questionnaires. The results indicate that the school in question can not address the issue of natural disasters in an integrated way with environmental education nor with the contents of the disciplines. Most teachers said they did not do any work on the subject at school, corroborating the response of most students, given that, on average 60% said they had not heard of natural disasters at school. In spite of this, students understand what natural disasters are and know how to act in case they are in danger, demonstrating a risk perception about the occurrence these disasters. The teachers, on the other hand, justify the absence of these works, alleging the lack of materials and knowledge in the area. Thus, fits worth highlighting to the importance of environmental awareness and the development continued actions and formations as a way to vulnerability reduction and prevention natural disasters, which reinforces the need for insertion, in the school environment, of a critical environmental education and with social commitment for what by means, of that both teachers and students can contribute even more to the transformation of the environment in which it is inserted.