Environmental education and/or education for sustainability are educational responses to negative environmental impacts, both locally and globally. The South African education sector has experienced several shifts in the curriculum since 1994, thus affecting the coverage, teaching and examination of environmental impact topics in the Further Education and Training Phase (FET) phase (Grades 10-12). The effects had profound consequences for curriculum delivery. Few studies have been conducted to determine the alignment of curriculum policy requirements with teaching practice and coverage in the actual examinations of environmental impact topics that are in the curriculum. The aim of the research was to investigate how the coverage of environmental impact topics teaching has been affected by the shifts in the curriculum, and the proportional alignment of content coverage in the examinations in relation to policy projections in FET phase in South Africa. A qualitative case study design was used to frame the research. The overall findings of the study on the impact of curriculum changes were that different structures contributed towards ensuring that the environmental content knowledge gap was closed. Examiners contributed to the teaching of environmental impact topics in terms of determining which topics to focus on and their percentage coverage in the FET examinations. Their interpretation of the policy requirements therefore had direct implications on how these topics were addressed in the education system. Teachers need to collaborate and use appropriate teaching methods that improve learners’ knowledge of environmental topics. Teachers also need to participate fully in training programmes that aim at improving skills in environmental content knowledge, teaching practice and assessment such as the Fundisa for Change programme.
The education system in South Africa is examination focused, therefore it is important that documents which assist teachers in the preparation of learners for examinations be aligned to the curriculum policy framework of the Department of Basic Education. Consistency in the proportional coverage of environmental impact topics in the curriculum, and alignment of the curriculum policy with actual content in the examinations would encourage pro-environment teaching practices, thereby enabling positive transformation in the culture of teaching environmental impact topics. The extent of the coverage of these topics in the examination papers will change the ways in which both teachers and learners focus on environmental topics in their teaching and learning, both inside and outside of the classroom. This will in turn enable learners to respond to environmental issues they may encounter in their lived context. It is important to have relevant environmental teaching and learning documents that can be used by learners and teachers, such as past examination papers aligned to the policy projections of environmental impact topics in order to be able to foster structures, cultures, roles and ideas that encourage environmental sustainability. The results revealed that environmental impact topics were covered in varying degrees in the South African curriculum. The level of coverage of environmental impact topics in the examination question papers fluctuated, sometimes to levels below those stipulated in the CAPS documents. The variable coverage of environmental impact topics in the examinations can affect the way teachers address the topics in the classroom. This is based on the observation that teachers tend to focus on topics that frequently appear in past examination papers in order to prepare learners for the end of year examinations. Therefore, consistent coverage of environmental impact topics in the curriculum and examinations content can encourage the agency of teachers and learners towards greater awareness of environmental issues in their society and the need to act pro-actively towards responding to them. However, on a positive note, the shift in the curriculum focus positively influenced greater coverage, teaching and examination of environmental impact topics in South Africa’s FET phase. This resulted in an emergence of structural and cultural morphogenesis in the teaching of environmental content in the FET phase.
Imfundo yezemvelo kanye / noma imfundo yokuzinza izimpendulo zemfundo kwimithelela emibi yemvelo, ngaphakathi nasekhaya jikelele. Umkhakha wezemfundo ubhekane nezinguquko eziningi kwikharikhulamu ukusuka ngonyaka we-1994, ngaleyo ndlela uthinta ukumboza, ukufundisa kanye nokuhlolwa kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo esigabeni saseNingizimu Afrika iSigaba seFundo nokuQeqesha (i-FET) samaBanga (amaBanga 10-12). Imiphumela inemiphumela emibi ekulethweni kwekharikhulamu. Zimbalwa izifundo esezenziwe ukuthola ukuqondaniswa kokuqashelwa kwenqubomgomo yekharikhulamu nokubhekwa ezivivinyweni zangempela zezihloko ezithinta imvelo ezikhona kwikharikhulamu. Inhloso yalolucwaningo bekuwukuphenya ukuthi ukumbozwa kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo kuthinteke kanjani ekushintsheni kwekharikhulamu, kanye nokuqondanisa kokuhlanganiswa kokuqukethwe ezivivinyweni maqondana nokuqanjwa kwenqubomgomo esigabeni se-FET eNingizimu Afrika. Ukutholwa okuphelele kocwaningo ngomthelela woshintsho lwekharikhulamu kwakuwukuthi izinhlaka ezahlukahlukene zaba negalelo ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi igebe lolwazi lokuqukethwe kwemvelo livaliwe. Abahloli baba negalelo ekufundisweni kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo ngokwezimo zokunquma ukuthi yiziphi izihloko okufanele bagxile kuzo kanye nokubalwa kwabo ngamaphesenti ezivivinyweni ze-FET. Ukuchazwa kwabo kwezidingo zenqubomgomo ngakho-ke kunomthelela oqondile ekutheni lezi zihloko zibhekwana kanjani ohlelweni lwezemfundo. Othisha badinga ukusebenzisana futhi basebenzise izindlela ezifanele zokufundisa ezithuthukisa ulwazi lwabafundi lwezihloko zemvelo. Othisha kudingeka futhi babambe iqhaza ngokugcwele ezinhlelweni zokuqeqesha ezihlose ukuthuthukisa amakhono olwazini lokuqukethwe kwemvelo, ukuzifundisa nokuhlola okufana nohlelo lweFundisa for Change.
Uhlelo lwezemfundo eNingizimu Afrika luyagxila ekuhlolweni ngakho-ke kubalulekile ukuthi amadokhumenti asiza othisha ekulungiseleleni abafundi izivivinyo ahlanganiswe nohlaka lwenqubomgomo lwezifundo loMnyango Wezemfundo Eyisisekelo. Ukutholakala ekuhlanganisweni ngokulinganayo kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo kwikharikhulamu, kanye nokuqondaniswa kwenqubomgomo yekharikhyulamu nokuqukethwe okuyikho ezivivinyweni kuzokhuthaza izindlela zokufundisa zendawo ezungezile, ngaleyo ndlela kube noshintsho oluhle kusiko lokufundisa ngezihloko ezithinta imvelo. Ubukhulu bokumbozwa kwalezi zihloko emaphepheni wokuhlola kuzoshintsha izindlela lapho bothishela kanye nabafundi bagxila kuzo izihloko zemvelo ekufundiseni nasekufundeni kwabo, ngaphakathi nangaphandle kweklasi. Lokhu kuzosiza abafundi ukuba bakwazi ukuxazulula futhi baphendule ezindabeni zemvelo abangahlangabezana nazo esimweni sabo esiphilayo. Kubalulekile ukuba nemibhalo yokufunda ngendalo nokufunda esetshenziswa ngabafundi nothisha, njengamaphepha okuhlola esedlule, aqondaniswe nenqubomgomo yokuqagela izihloko zomthelela wezemvelo ukuze ukwazi ukukhulisa izinhlaka, amasiko, izindima kanye nemibono ekhuthaza ukuqhubekela phambili ukusetshenziswa kwemithombo yemvelo ngaphakathi kwezenhlalo. Imiphumela iveze ukuthi izihloko ezithinta imvelo zimbozwe ngamazinga ehlukene kukharikhulamu yaseNingizimu Afrika. Izinga lokumbozwa kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo emaphepheni emibuzo luyeguquguquka, kwesinye isikhathi libe ngamazinga angezansi kwalawo ashiwo kumadokhumenti weCAPS. Ukuvikelwa okuguqukayo kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo ezivivinyweni kungathinta indlela othisha abazisingatha ngayo izihloko ekilasini. Lokhu kusekelwe ekubukeni kokuthi othisha bavame ukugxila ezihlokweni ezingezona lezo, ezigxile emvelweni ukuze zilungiselele abafundi ukubhala izivivinyo zokuphela konyaka. Ngakho-ke, ukumbozwa okungaguquki kwezihloko zomthelela wezemvelo kwikharikhyulamu kanye nokuqukethwe kwezivivinyo kungakhuthaza i-ejensi yothisha kanye nabafundi ekuqondeni okukhulu kwezindaba zezemvelo emphakathini wabo kanye nesidingo sokwenza ngokuqinile ekuphenduleni kubo. Kodwa-ke, ngokubona okuhle ukushintshwa kwekharikhulamu kugxile kakhulu ekufundisweni, ekufundiseni nasekuhlolweni kwezihloko ezithinta imvelo esigabeni se-FET saseNingizimu Afrika. Lokhu kuholele ekuqubukeni kwe-morphoasemis eyakhiwayo kanye namasiko ekufundisweni kokuqukethwe kwemvelo esigabeni se-FET.
Lithuto tsa tikoloho le / kapa thuto ea ho tsitsa ke likarabo tsa thuto ho litlamorao tse mpe tsa tikoloho, kahare le lefats'e. Lekala la thuto le bile le liphetoho tse ngata kharikhulamong ho tloha ka 1994, ka hona, le ama ts'ireletso, ho ruta le ho hlahloba lihlooho tsa litlamorao tsa tikoloho mohatong oa Phapanyetsano ea Thupelo le Thupelo ea Aforika Borwa (Mephato ea 12). Litlamorao li na le litlamorao tse matla ho tsamaisoa ha kharikhulamo. Ho entsoe lithuto tse fokolang tsa ho fumana tumellano ea liprojeke tsa kharikhulamo le tlhahlobo litlhahlobo tsa lihlooho tsa sephetho sa tikoloho tse fumanehang ho kharikhulamo. Morero oa lipatlisiso e ne e le ho etsa lipatlisiso hore na litaba tse mabapi le tsusumetso ea litaba tsa tikoloho li amiloe joang ke liphetoho tse teng kharikhulamong, le tsebelisano ea litaba tsa litlhahlobo lithutong tse amanang le sephetho sa leano mokhahlelong oa lithuto oa Afrika Boroa. Liphetho tse akaretsang tsa boithuto mabapi le tsusumetso ea liphetoho tsa kharikhulamo e bile hore likarolo tse fapaneng li kentse letsoho ho netefatsa hore lekhalo la tsebo ea tikoloho le koaloa. Bahlahlobi ba kentse letsoho thutong ea lihlooho tsa phello ea tikoloho ho latela hore na ke lihlooho life tseo ba lokelang ho tsepamisa maikutlo ho tsona le liperesente tsa bona tsa tlhatlhobo ea FET. Tlhaloso ea bona ea litlhoko tsa pholisi ka hona e na le moelelo o tobileng mabapi le hore na lihlooho tsena li sebetsoa joang tsamaisong ea thuto. Matichere a hloka ho sebelisana le ho sebelisa mekhoa e nepahetseng ea ho ruta e ntlafatsang tsebo ea barutoana ea lihlooho tsa tikoloho. Matichere a boetse a hloka ho nka karolo ka botlalo ho mananeo a koetliso a ikemiselitseng ho ntlafatsa tsebo tsebong ea tikoloho, ho ruta le ho hlahloba joalo ka lenaneo la Fundisa for Change.
Sistimi ya thuto ka hara Aforika Borwa e shebilwe ka ho hlaka kahoo ho bohlokwa hore dingolwa tse thusang barutabana ho lokisoeng ha barutoana bakeng sa litlhahlobo li hokahane le moralo oa leano la kharikhulamo la Lefapha la Thuto ea Motheo. Ho lumellana ha litaba tsa tsusumetso ea tikoloho kharikhulamong, le ho hokahana ha leano la kharikhulamo le litaba tsa tlhahlobo ho tla khothaletsa litloaelo tsa ho ruta tikoloho, ka ho etsa joalo phetoho e ntle moetlong oa ho ruta lihlooho tse amang tikoloho. Tekanyo ea sekoaelo sa lihlooho tsena lipampiring tsa tlhatlhobo e tla fetola mekhoa eo ka eona matichere le baithuti ba shebaneng le lihlooho tsa tikoloho ho ruteng le ho ithuteng, kahare le ka ntle ho phapusi. Sena se tla nolofalletsa baithuti ho rarolla le ho arabela litabeng tsa tikoloho tseo ba ka kopanang le tsona maemong a bona a bophelo. Ho bohlokoa ho ba le litokomane tsa ho ruta tikoloho le ho ithuta tse sebelisoang ke barutoana le matichere, joalo ka lipampiri tsa tlhahlobo tse fetileng, tse hokahantsoeng le lipakanyo tsa melaoana ea lihlooho tsa phello ea tikoloho hore o tsebe ho khothaletsa meaho, litso, mesebetsi le mehopolo e khothalletsang e tsitsitseng. ts'ebeliso ea lisebelisoa tsa tlhaho tikolohong ea sechaba. Liphetho li hlahisitse hore lihlooho tsa phello ea tikoloho li koahetsoe ka maemo a fapaneng kharikhulamong ea Afrika Boroa. Boemo ba ho koaheloa ha lihlooho tsa phello ea tikoloho lipampiring tsa lipotso tsa tlhahlobo bo ne bo fokotseha, ka linako tse ling ho fihla tlase ho tse boletsoeng litokomaneng tsa CAPS. Ho koaheloa ha lihlooho tsa litlamorao tsa tikoloho lithutong ho ka ama tsela eo matichere a sebetsanang le lihlooho ka tlelaseng. Sena se ipapisitse le tlhokomeliso ea hore matichere a tloaetse ho shebana le lihlooho tse ling ntle le tseo, tse etselitsoeng tikoloho molemong oa ho itokisetsa liithuti bakeng sa ho ngola litlhahlobo tsa selemo. Ka hona, ho koaheloa khafetsa ha lihlooho tsa tsusumetso ea tikoloho kharikhulamong ea litlhahlobo le litlhahlobo ho ka khothaletsa lefapha la matitjhere le barutoana ho fihlela tlhokomeliso e kholo ea litaba tsa tikoloho sechabeng sa habo bona le tlhoko ea ho nka bohato ba pele ho ba arabela. Le ha ho le joalo, ho netefatso e fetohileng phetoho ea kharikhulamo e ile ea ba le tsusumetso e kholo ho koaetsoeng, ho rutoa le ho hlahlojoa ha lihlooho tsa litlamorao tsa tikoloho sehlopheng sa thuto sa Afrika Boroa. Hona ho felletse ka ho hlaha ha morphogenesis oa sebopeho le moetlo ho ruteng litaba tsa tikoloho sethaleng sa FET.
