Solid waste management through environmental education initiatives : a case of Amathole East District

Abstract

Disposing of solid waste is one of the most serious and controversial issues facing countries around the world. The problem is caused by daily human activities. The main aim of this qualitative study was to explore solid waste management in primary schools in the Amathole East District of South Africa. The research objectives were to investigate what solid waste management strategies were in place in the sampled primary schools, and to recommend best practices in this regard. Failure to act timeously will lead to a deterioration of environmental conditions, which could have negative consequences for human health. The researcher adopted the Waste Management Theory, as it aligned with the stated research objectives. An interpretive paradigm was used, with a case study as research design. Purposive sampling and multiple cases were employed. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and document analysis served as data-collection instruments, and for data analysis, the researcher relied on thematic analysis. Environmental education initiatives aimed at managing solid waste in the participating primary schools involved providing bins in classrooms and on the school terrain; raising awareness about solid waste and the possibilities of reusing, reducing and recycling it; the burning of such waste (where appropriate), as well as the hosting of events related to solid waste management. Notable challenges to efforts to adopt solid waste management strategies in primary schools include a lack of time to fully implement related initiatives; a lack of funding from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government; a shortage of resources such as educational materials and recycling bins; and a lack of training and support from stakeholders such as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and NGOs. The successful implementation of solid waste management strategies in primary schools requires not only the involvement of learners and teachers, but also that of the DBE and NGOs.

Ukulahla inkunkuma yenye yemiba emandla edala impikiswano, ajongene nayo amazwe ngamazwe kwihlabathini liphela. Le ngxaki ibangelwa zizenzo zabantu zemihla ngemihla. Eyona njongo yolu phandontyilazwi ibikukuphonononga ulawulo lwenkunkuma kwizikolo zamabanga aphantsi kwiSithili saseAmathole East eMzantsi Afrika. Iinjongo zophando ibikukuphanda ukuba zeziphi iindlela zolawulo lwenkunkuma ezikhoyo kwizikolo zamabanga aphantsi ebezikhethelwe olu phando, nokucebisa ezona ndlela zilungileyo malunga noku. Ukusilela ekuqubulisaneni nalo mba ngokukhawulezileyo kuya kukhokelela ekuwohlakeni kweemeko zokusingqongileyo, nto leyo enokuba neziphumo ezimbi kwimpilo yabantu. Umphandi usebenzise iThiyori yoLawulo lweNkunkuma (Waste Management Theory) nanjengoko ihambelana neenjongo zophando ezikhankanyiweyo. Kusetyenziswe indlela yophando yokufumana ubunzulu obungakumbi ngokukhangela amava neengcamango zomxholo othile wezentlalo, nesifundo ngomzekelo njengoyilo lophando. Kukwasetyenziswe ukukhethwa kwegcuntswana ledatha ngenjongo kunye nezifundo ngemizekelo eziphindaphindiweyo. Udliwanondlebe olucwangciswe mayane, ukuqwalaselwa kwabathathinxaxheba kunye nohlalutyo lwamaxwebhu zisebenze njengezixhobo zokuqokelela nokuhlalutya idatha, umphandi uye wathembela nakuhlalutyontyilazwi lomongo okanye lomxholo. Amaphulo ezemfundo yokusingqongileyo ajolise ekulawuleni inkunkuma kwizikolo zamabanga aphantsi ezithatha inxaxheba aquka ukubonelela ngemigqomo kumagumbi okufundela nakummandla wesikolo uwonke; ukwazisa malunga nenkunkuma kunye namathuba okuphinda isetyenziswe, ukuyinciphisa nokuphinda kuveliswe izinto ezintsha ngokutsha kuleyo ibisele isetyenzisiwe; ukutshiswa kwenkunkuma (apho kufaneleke khona), kwakunye nokusingathwa kwemisitho enxulumene nolawulo lwenkunkuma. Imingeni ephawulekayo kwiinzame zokwamkela iindlela zolawulo lwenkunkuma kwizikolo zamabanga aphantsi iquka ukungabikho kwexesha lokufezekisa ngokupheleleyo amaphulo anxulumene noku; ukunqongophala kwenkxasomali evela kwimibutho okanye amaqumrhu angekho phantsi korhulumente (NGOs) kunye norhulumente; ukunqongophala kwezibonelelo ezifana nemathiriyeli yezemfundo kunye nemigqomo yokugcina inkunkuma esele isetyenzisiwe ngenjongo yokuvelisa izinto ezintsha ngokutsha; nokungabikho koqeqesho nenkxaso evela kumahlakani entsebenziswano afana neSebe leMfundo esiSiseko (iDBE) kunye neeNGO. Ukuphunyezwa ngempumelelo kweendlela zolawulo lwenkunkuma kwizikolo zamabanga aphantsi akufuni ukubandakanyeka kwabafundi nootitshala kuphela, kodwa kukwafuna nenkxaso yeDBE kunye neeNGO.

Die verwydering van soliede afval is ’n ernstige en kontroversiële kwessie wat lande regoor die wêreld in die gesig staar. Hierdie probleem word deur daaglikse menslike aktiwiteite veroorsaak. Die hoofdoel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om die bestuur van soliede afval in primêre skole in die Amathole-Oos Distrik in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Die navorsingsdoelwitte was om ’n ondersoek te loods na watter soliede-afvalbestuurstrategieë in plek was in die skole wat deel gevorm het van die steekproef en om ten opsigte hiervan aanbevelings oor beste praktyk te maak. As daar versuim word om betyds op te tree, sal dit aanleiding gee tot ’n agteruitgang in omgewingstoestande wat weer negatiewe gevolge vir menslike gesondheid kan meebring. Die navorser het die Afvalbestuursteorie aangeneem aangesien dit met die genoemde navorsingsdoelwitte ooreengestem het. ’n Interpretatiewe paradigma is in samehang met ’n gevallestudie as navorsingsontwerp gebruik. Doelbewuste steekproefneming en veelvoudige gevalle is gebruik. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, deelnemerobservasie en dokumentanalise het as datainsamelingsinstrumente gedien en die navorser het tematiese ontleding gebruik om dataontleding te doen. Omgewingsleerinisiatiewe wat daarop gemik was om soliede afval in die deelnemende primêre skole te bestuur, het die volgende behels: voorsiening van vullisblikke in klaskamers en op die skoolterrein; bewusmaking oor soliede afval en die moontlikhede van die herbenutting, vermindering en hersiklering daarvan; die uitbrand van sodanige afval (waar gepas); sowel as om geleenthede aan te bied wat met soliede-afvalbestuur verband hou. Opmerklike uitdagings ten opsigte van die pogings om soliede-afvalbestuurstrategieë in primêre skole te laat posvat, sluit in ’n gebrek aan tyd om verwante inisiatiewe ten volle te implementeer; ’n gebrek aan befondsing deur nieregeringsorganisasies (NRO’s) en die regering; ’n tekort aan hulpbronne soos opvoedkundige materiaal en hersikleringshouers; en ’n gebrek aan opleiding en ondersteuning deur belanghebbers soos die Departement van Basiese Onderwys (DBO) en NRO’s. Die suksesvolle implementering van soliede-afvalbestuurstrategieë in primêre skole vereis nie net die betrokkenheid van leerders en onderwysers nie, maar ook die betrokkenheid van die DBO en NRO’s.