Abstract
D.Ed.
The research report in this study deals with the role of co-operative management in Environmental Education (EE): A study conducted around the Mafikeng District of the North West Province.
It also seeks to identify necessary mechanisms through which the roles of stakeholders may be recognised in introducing Environmental Education within their various workplaces.
A purposive Sample of twenty- two (22) participants from the district took part in the study. Interviews were used as a major tool for data gathering from the participants viz: teachers, departmental officers and NGOs’ representatives.
The study revealed that teamwork is the base for the successful teaching of Environmental Education. It also highlighted the fact that successful teamwork operates like a gear system in a mechanistic way, if one gear is dysfunctional entire system becomes useless and does not yield expected outcomes. The same principle applies for the effective environmental practice.
Similarly, no structure in a social system can survive and operate in isolation successfully without the support of others. Based on the above assumptions, this study suggests that stakeholders have special roles to play in effective Environmental Education practice. Their successes are informed by co-operation, communication and involvement of other stakeholders. Lastly, the study recommends that the dove-tailing of the principles of management and environmental education should be in co-operated in the curriculum design, development and implementation of effective environmental education practice at all levels, i.e., macro, meso and micro levels.