Young people around the world are deeply concerned about global issues such as climate change and want to learn more about them in school, a study by Cambridge International has revealed. However, almost a third (31%) aren’t getting the opportunity to do so. More than 11,000 students aged 13 to 19 took part in the exam board’s first-ever ‘Global Perspectives’ survey. They were asked to share their views on global issues, how they learn about them, and how their awareness of these issues might impact their future career choices. Environmental issues took centre stage, with students in the US, Spain, India, the UAE, South Africa, China, India, Indonesia, and the UK all expressing concerns about climate change and pollution. Globally, a quarter (26%) of all the students who responded to the survey said they felt climate change was the biggest issue facing the world today. Christine Özden, chief executive at Cambridge International said that there are “huge” global challenges ahead in our constantly evolving world. “We feel that it is even more important that students not only engage with key global issues but develop the skills to research, discuss and evaluate the facts, and work with others to understand different perspectives around the world,” she said. Concern about the climate crisis was widespread; 46% of Spanish students chose climate change as their biggest issue of concern, which was the most out of any other country. In the UK, climate change was also named as the biggest issue by 45% of respondents. In the US, 39% said that climate change was the biggest global issue, with pollution – including plastic waste – viewed as the second biggest issue by this cohort. To view the full article visit the Pie News.
