Assessment of Environmental Pollution Awareness Among Secondary School Students in Bayelsa State

This study assessed the level of environmental pollution awareness among secondary school students in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Situated within the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa State faces some of the most severe environmental pollution challenges in Nigeria, including oil spills, gas flaring, and industrial effluents, making environmental awareness education particularly critical for the local youth population. A descriptive survey design was used. The sample comprised 380 SS2 students from public secondary schools in Yenagoa, Brass, and Sagbama Local Government Areas. A validated Environmental Pollution Awareness Scale covering oil pollution, water pollution, air quality, and conservation responses was administered. Cronbach's Alpha reliability was 0.81. Data were analysed using mean scores, standard deviation, and chi-square. Results showed that students demonstrated high awareness of oil pollution and its health consequences, reflecting their lived environment, but showed lower knowledge of industrial waste management, air pollution measurement, and global climate change linkages. School location, proximity to oil facilities, and exposure to environmental advocacy programmes significantly influenced awareness levels. Recommendations included integration of Niger Delta specific environmental case studies into the secondary Science curriculum, deployment of school-based environmental clubs, and partnerships with oil company CSR units for school environmental education. Keywords: environmental pollution, awareness, secondary students, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta.