Schools teach sustainability and climate awareness among learners

Environmental challenges are becoming increasingly urgent, and call for our undivided attention through strategic ways of combating harm to our environment while teaching about sustainability and climate awareness.

Integrating environmental awareness into the education system is not just beneficial but essential as it teaches about the conservation of nature and reduces risks towards the increase of global warming, climate change, pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

Sustainable education focuses on teaching learners about the environment, sustainability practices, and the impact of human actions on the earth and the planet as a whole.

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Incorporating sustainability into classroom lessons encourages an eco-friendly practice, and fosters a holistic approach that can encourage learners to become active participants in protecting nature and surrounding environments.

By incorporating these concepts, lessons and approach into the learning curriculum, educators and schools can foster a generation of environmentally conscious individuals who are well equipped to channel the pressing ecological issues of our time.

Natural sciences teacher at Msobovu Primary School, Nosipho Nopapaza, said the school subject deals with a lot about nature, conservation, sustainability and raising awareness on climate and climate change.

“In teaching conservation to the next generation, we are building a future of responsible consumers.

“Our lessons in school include teaching learners how to use resources wisely in order to empower them to adapt all the right habits at home.

“We teach learners about ecology and nature, from the water cycle to the ecosystem. Learners learn the connection between different animals, plants, their connection and importance or the role they play.

“We encourage the learners to ask questions so they can also form their own understanding about nature and environmental sustainability,” said Nopapaza.

Nopapaza further mentions that the protection of nature, sustainability and climate awareness starts by reducing the consumption of one-use items like plastic.

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She elaborated by saying, “we can form a habit of carrying a reusable water bottle everywhere we go to prevent buying bottled water and throwing the bottle away.

“Something like making your own lunch can prevent one from buying lunch in disposable containers with cutlery. Cleaning up the environment happens at the shops by buying less plastic.

“These are some of the ways that we manage to raise awareness about climate, sustainability and environmental protection,” she said.

As a way of raising sustainability and climate awareness, Msobomvu Primary School has a food gardening project that educates learners about home gardening, a solution to climate change by using sustainable practices.

“Sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques can slow future warming by reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon storage in soil and plants.

“Most schools around us also have an initiative that encourages and incentivises learners to collect recyclable items like paper, cardboard, tins and certain types of plastic.

“Through our feeding scheme we indirectly encourage learners to reduce the buying of food packaged in disposable wrapping,” said Nopapaza.

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She added that if learners understand how fish populations in the ocean are affected by people dumping plastic in the sea and the potential of not having fish on our plates in the future due to low populations, they will not only stop polluting but they will also share the message in their homes, and that will raise awareness around sustainability and climate awareness.

Social sciences teacher Mfanelo Machanyana added to the topic by mentioning that learners are becoming aware that sustainability and climate awareness helps us take care of our health. It also makes us think broadly about animals, and insects that benefit from vegetation (flowers and trees) for shelter, food and for survival.

“Schools have charts and textbooks that demonstrate the causes and effects of a neglected environment and climate.

“The pictures engage learners to discuss the matter and learn best through visuals,” he added.

Machanyana said integrating environmental awareness even more into the curriculum is a vital step towards creating a sustainable future.

Sustainable education equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to address environmental challenges and makes a positive impact within our surrounding environments.

“By adopting a holistic approach that includes classroom learning, hands-on projects, and community involvement, we would be able to ensure that learners are not only aware of environmental issues but are also motivated to act responsibly for the betterment of our planet and everything around it,” he concluded.