Abstract
The inclusion of Environmental Education in South African schools has evolved significantly over the years, however very few studies have focused on its implementation and success in schools. The Government has realised the urgency of this and committed to the 2019–2029 Environmental Education and Training Strategy and Action Plan which aims to strengthen a systems approach to environmental education and training initiatives and interventions. In order to determine the gaps in implementation to provide adequate training initiatives and interventions, the study seeks to examine the impact of these learning initiatives from the perspective of the learners by evaluating the current perceptions of learners. This study aimed to evaluate learner’s perceptions on environmental issues such as water and waste management in selected schools near Kaalspruit River in Tembisa.
Using a structured questionnaire, a total of 199 learners from grades 10 to 12 were surveyed from five secondary schools. The data was analysed using SPSS V25 to perform Chi-square, T-test and Pearsons correlation to determine the views of secondary school students on water and waste management. The study found that female learners have a significantly higher concern with environmental issues when compared to their environmental counterparts and there was a significant difference in waste management practices between learners from informal settlements and learners from formal housing.
Pearsons correlation revealed positive correlations between age and waste management knowledge and perceptions, while gender, race and area of residence had positive correlations with water resource knowledge and perceptions. The majority of learners showed a positive attitude and willingness to participate in waste and water management activities around their schools, this information can be used to inform future environmental education initiatives in the area. Since school learners are seen as one of the key agents of change to work towards a more sustainable environment, they should be engaged as young as possible and given a quality array of continuous learning to improve their knowledge on environmental problems.
Key words: waste management, water management, perceptions, secondary school learners