Abstract Bangladesh, a highly climate-vulnerable nation, is increasingly confronting climate change challenges, especially in the coastal areas. This research investigates the knowledge, abilities, and practices of primary teachers related to Climate Change Education (CCE) within the national curriculum framework. Drawing upon a qualitative phenomenology, in-depth interviews with 30 teachers in Shyamnagar sub-district, Satkhira district, a highly climate-hazard-affected area reveal that climate change content is lacking chronological integration in discipline-based learning areas like Science, Bangladesh & Global Studies, and Religion. The teachers’ understanding was found to vary, with a predisposition towards learning areas based on patchy textbook materials and sparse professional development. Even with acknowledgment of the significance of CCE in promoting climate resilience and environmental literacy in students, teachers point to the lack of systematic guidance, localized materials, and capacity development programs. This research emphasizes the necessity of revamping the curriculum to embed integrated, location-based, and age-relevant climate education. It stresses the need to provide targeted teaching capacity building to ensure pedagogic competence to deliver CCE. The findings of the research have significant policy implications for aligning the National Education Policy of Bangladesh with actual implementation for enabling the empowerment of future generations to address climate challenges. The paper contributes to policy deliberations for including sustainable development and disaster risk reduction practices in the primary school curriculum and textbooks.
Biswas et al. (Sun,) studied this question.