Perceptions of teachers and learners on solid waste management in Umlazi District schools

Abstract

This study looked at how teachers and learners in secondary schools perceived solid waste management. There is not much research on the extent to which learners in South Africa are aware of, knowledgeable about or practise solid waste management. The principles, aims and targets of the South African government about solid waste management were examined in reviewing the literature on solid waste management awareness, knowledge and behaviours among learners. This study used waste management theory and following a qualitative approach, adopted a case study design to explore the perception of teachers and learners on solid waste management in the Umlazi District, Kwa-Zulu Natal. By using focus group interviews, observation, face-to-face interviews and photovoice, data were collected from three secondary schools and three teachers, teaching Life Sciences and 18 learners in Grade 10. The findings showed that the teachers and learners were obviously aware of concerns with solid waste and waste management practices in their schools and local environment. It was also appeared the school teachers and learners had an acute awareness that poor waste management would have a negative impact on the school environment as well as on them as individuals. Furthermore, the findings revealed that there was minimal awareness of effective solid waste management practices. Good waste solid waste management practices activities were minimal in both the school and home environment. The critical recommendations of the study is that the Department of Basic Education need to intensify the research on proper solid waste disposal to better understand the needs of teachers and learners with regard to environmental matters such as solid waste management.

Lolu cwaningo luhlole izinga lokubona othisha nabafundi ngokuphathwa kwemfucuza eqinile ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu. Kwatholakala kuphela inani elilinganiselwe lezifundo ezihlola ukuqwashisa kwabafundi bezikole, ulwazi kanye nomkhuba wokuphathwa kwemfucuza eqinile eNingizimu Afrika. Izincwadi zabuyekezwa zibhekene nokuqwashisa okuqinile kokuphathwa kwemfucuza, ulwazi kanye nemikhuba yokufunda ezikoleni futhi kwaxoxwa ngazo esandleni sezimiso, izinhloso kanye nemigomo kaHulumeni waseNingizimu Afrika maqondana nokuphathwa kwemfucuza eqinile. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise ithiyori yokuphathwa kwemfucuza futhi ngokulandela indlela yekhwalithi, lwamukela umklamo wocwaningo lwecala ukuhlola umbono wothisha nabafundi ngokuphathwa kwemfucuza eqinile ezifundeni zase-Ulmazi, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo zeqembu ezigxile, ukubuka, ingxoxo yobuso nobuso kanye ne-photovoice, idatha yaqoqwa ezikoleni ezintathu zamabanga aphezulu nothisha abathathu, ukufundisa i-Life Sciences kanye nabafundi abayishumi nesishiyagalombili ebangeni le-10. Okutholakele ocwaningweni kukhombise ukuthi othisha nabafundi ngokusobala bayazi ngokukhathazeka ngemfucuza eqinile kanye nemikhuba yokuphathwa kwemfucuza ezikoleni zabo nasezindaweni zendawo. Kwaphinde kwabonakala ukuthi othisha bezikole kanye nabafundi babenolwazi olubukhali lokuthi ukungaphathwa kahle kwemfucuza kuzoba nomthelela omubi emvelweni wesikole kanjalo nakomuntu ngamunye. Ngaphezu kwalokho okutholakele kuveze ukuthi ukuqwashisa okuvelele nokho kwakungabonakali ezifundweni imikhuba eqinile yokuphatha imfucuza. Imfucuza enhle eqinile yokuphathwa kwemfucuza imisebenzi yayincane kokubili esikoleni nasendaweni yasekhaya. Izincomo ezibucayi zocwaningo ukuthi umnyango wezemfundo kuzodingeka uqinise ucwaningo mayelana nokulahlwa kwemfucuza eqinile efanele ukuze uqonde kangcono izidingo zothisha nabafundi ezindabeni zemvelo ezifana nokuphathwa kwemfucuza eqinile. Amagama asemqoka: ukuphathwa kwemfucuza eqinile, ukuqwashisa, ulwazi, ukuqonda, imikhuba, Isifunda sase-Umlazi, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Hierdie studie het die vlak van persepsie van onderwysers en leerders oor vasteafvalbestuur in sekondere skole ondersoek. Slegs ‘n beperkte aantal studies is gevind om skoolleerders se bewustheid, kennis en praktyk van vasteafvalbestuur in Suid-Afrika te evalueer. Literatuur is hersien wat handel oor vasteafvalbestuursbewustheid, kennis en praktyke van skoolleerders en bespreek aan die hand van die beginsels, doelwitte en teikens van die Suid-Afrikaanse Regering ten opsigte van vaste afvalbestuur.Hierdie studie het afvalbestuursteorie gebruik en na aanleiding van ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering ‘n gevallestudie-ontwerp aangeneem om die persepsie van onderwysers en leerders oor vasteafvalbestuur in Ulmazi-distrikte, KwaZulu-Natal, te ondersoek. Deur gebruik te maak van gefokusde groeponderhoude, waarneming, aangesig-tot-aangesig-onderhoud en fotostem, is data van drie sekondêre skole en drie onderwysers, wat Lewenswetenskappe en agtien leerders in graad 10 onderrig, ingesamel. Die studiebevindinge het getoon dat die onderwysers en leerders uiteraard bewus was van kommer oor vaste afval en afvalbestuurspraktyke in hul skole en plaaslike omgewing. Dit het ook geblyk dat die skoolonderwysers en leerders ‘n skerp bewustheid het dat swak afvalbestuur ‘n negatiewe impak op die skoolomgewing sowel as op hulle as die individu sou hê. Verder het die bevindinge aan die lig gebring dat prominente bewustheid egter nie sigbaar was in die leerders se vaste-afvalbestuurspraktyke nie. Goeie afval vaste afval bestuurspraktyke aktiwiteite was minimaal by beide die skool en huis omgewing. Die kritiese aanbevelings van die studie is dat die departement van onderwys die navorsing oor behoorlike vullisverwydering sal moet verskerp om die behoeftes van onderwysers en leerders ten opsigte van omgewingsake soos vaste afvalbestuur beter te verstaan. Sleutelwoorde: bestuur van vaste afval, bewustheid, kennis, begrip, praktyke, Umlazi-distrik, KwaZulu-Natal.