South Africa

Sustainable Development & Environment

EcoLink
Eco-Schools

Nestlé has provided funding to the Eco-Schools programme in South Africa which is coordinated by the WWF-SA and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA). The programme is designed to encourage curriculum-based action for a healthy environment. It is an internationally recognized award scheme that accredits schools that make a commitment to continuously improving their school’s environment. Eco-Schools originated in Europe as a programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education and was launched in South Africa in May 2003.
Over 140 schools are registered with the programme. An important focus of the programme has been support for schools with the implementation of the Revised National Curriculum Statement. An important development for the programme has been the support received from the National Department of Education.
The Eco-Schools framework provides the following key components for schools and communities:
-  School environmental management: Schools can use the policy process to plan for savings on resources such as water, electricity and waste.
-  Better environmental learning: This programme builds the capacity of teachers to implement learning outcomes with an environmental and sustainability focus.
-  Active participation: Teachers, learners and the community are involved in the planning and implementation of their school’s environmental policy.
-  Focus on local issues: Schools can choose which areas they would like to focus on e.g. waste management, AIDS, water quality, sanitation and food gardens.
-  Policy development: Learners, teachers, parents, and the wider community are empowered to develop their own environmental policy in the school environment.
To participate in the Eco-Schools initiative, schools register with the programme and develop three focus areas with an environmental/sustainability theme. The schools are provided with guidelines to audit existing activities at the school and from this a policy is developed which will set, evaluate and review the environmental activities. These are linked to teacher capacity building and the school curriculum. Successful schools gaining Eco-Schools status are awarded with a green flag which they may keep for a year.
Nestlé has provided funding to implement the Eco-Schools programme in certain communities within the Eastern Cape of South Africa, one of the most impoverished provinces within the country where resources are scarce, unemployment rife and a commitment to environmental issues is sorely lacking.