Issues In Education

D. MOLEFE
O. PANSIRI and
S. WEEKS | Monday October 29, 2007 00:00

Maru-a-Pula Secondary School and other schools have rainwater catchment systems in place. More is being done to promote recycling of glass, paper, cardboard and plastics at schools. There is also an awareness of the need to save energy through alternative methods. For example, at Northside Primary School a new building is eco-friendly, including high ceilings, natural air cooling and a rainwater catchment tower. In the future all water off the assembly hall roof will be recycled. They also have an impressive 'water-wise garden', and have replaced all toilets with low-flow ones, to save on water consumption. Recycling of water and human wastes has not yet been part of the picture.
To become a recognised Green School there are seven things that need to be done:
1. Establish A Green Team or Eco-Committee: Green Schools begin with a 'green team' that guides various activities at the school. The team is made up of all stakeholders; students, teachers, grounds employees, school heads, parents and school board members. It is run by students so that it becomes part of their learning.

2. Adopt An Environmental Vision Statement: In creating their own vision statement all the participants become involved and committed. The Environmental Vision Statement is posted around the school. It is a clear statement of beliefs and intents.

3. Conduct A School Environmental Survey: To establish an effective Green School its environment must be reviewed. Students need to assess waste management. School buildings are examined for wastage including leaky taps, possibility for energy saving, and lights left on overnight. The Green Team can work with community people and outside experts during the review.

4. Create A Green School Action Plan: The environmental survey helps to identify places where change is required and guides the creation of an action plan. Sound targets to improve environmental performance need to be set so objectives can be accomplished in both the short term and long term. The action plan might include a school recycling program; the use of eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning materials; reducing energy consumption in electrical equipment, computer monitors and printers; and water-wise gardens. It could lead to future plans for the utilisation of alternative energy sources. For example, vinyl flooring, used in schools can offgas phthalates (toxic plasticising chemicals); is this happening and what strategy can be followed to replace the vinyl?

Can recycled rubber tiles be used instead? Is cafeteria food left over composted? For example, what is the quality of the office supplies, arts and crafts materials, paper used in the school in the context of potential environmental health hazards, even with recycled paper?

5. Monitor and Evaluate Progress: The green team within the school community can monitor and evaluate progress on implementing the action plan. There could be an annual environmental audit on waste management, recycling, energy use and the school's purchasing of new items. What are the costs and the savings? Monitoring tells a school if the goals set in the action plan are being met and where they need to be reviewed. An audit is also an educational process as students can be responsible for it.

6. Integrate Greening into the Curriculum: Integration of all eco-friendly activities into the curricula in all subjects can take place. A school becomes a laboratory for 'real-world problem-solving'. All students can study energy, water, forests, pollution and waste management. Reducing water consumption, recycling materials and saving energy are challenges before all students. Activities become a 'component of a hands-on, place-based, experiential education'. An example is the use of photovoltaic electrical systems to run school computers, while students assess voltage produced by the solar panels.

7. Inform, Involve, and Celebrate: Accomplishments should be recognised, broadcast to the community and students and staff should be proud of them.

Global Green has made grants for green projects in 31 African nations in the last seven years including Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, but none to Botswana! Botswana would benefit from being involved too. See: www.greenschools.net and www.greengrants.org.