Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Environmental Issues in Pre-primary and Primary Education: The Role of Selected Variables

This study investigates the attitudes of pre-primary and primary education teachers in Slovakia toward environmental issues and examines the influence of selected demographic and contextual variables. Data were collected from 177 randomly selected teachers using a reliable and validated questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.88). Results from Kruskal–Wallis tests showed statistically significant differences primarily in gender and job position. Female teachers reported higher interest and greater acceptance of proposed environmental solutions, while kindergarten teachers demonstrated more positive attitudes than their primary-level counterparts. However, variables such as age, place of residence, level of education, and school type did not significantly affect attitudes or knowledge levels. A correlational analysis revealed a weak but statistically significant positive relationship between interest in environmental topics and the acceptance of environmental solutions. Other correlations, especially between knowledge and acceptance, were weak or insignificant, suggesting that personal engagement plays a more critical role than factual knowledge in shaping pro-environmental attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of motivation and emotional involvement in promoting effective environmental education.