| The current deterioration of the environment as a result of human activities and behaviours attracts a need to educate people about the environmental protection. This study, therefore, examined the experiences of teachers and Head-teachers in secondary school about the teaching of Environmental Education (EE). The study followed a case study design. The target population was teachers, director of studies and head-teachers in day secondary schools located in Ngoma and Tumba sectors, Rwanda. Primary data from a purposive sample made of 12 teachers, 2 head-teachers and 2 directors of studies were collected using a semi-structured interview. Respondents shared the experience on integration, delivery and challenges facing EE. Thematic content analysis technique was used. The findings revealed an absence of taking EE as a necessity in the teaching and learning process. The time given to the teaching of EE is down-graded simply because it is a cross-cutting issue in other subjects. A teacher may or may not talk about it during lessons. Also, the study of EE suffers its small weight in national exams compared to other competing subjects. Much effort is concentrated on the courses assessed in the national exams. There is also a knowledge gap of how to teach the content of cross-cutting issue subjects inside the main course. The EE is in the curriculum, but its teachings face challenges mostly related to the mind-set of teachers to include it or not in their main subjects, lack of didactic materials and skill gap in its teaching process.
Keywords: teacher’s experience, environmental education, curriculum, cross-cutting issue subject, Rwandan education system
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