The policy and practice of environmental education in South African schools

Abstract

This study sought to investigate how teachers (educators) included Environmental Education in their practice in the context of the new curricula (RNCS) in South Africa. The study goes further to find out how the policy and practice of EE can be understood and explained in some schools and what are the provisions of the new curriculum policy on Environmental Education i.e. what does the new Environmental Education curriculum policy says to teachers about: subject matter, teaching and teaching approaches and teachers conceptions and beliefs in South Africa. A qualitative research study was undertaken where three educators, an HOD and Subject advisor were observed in practice and interviewed. A major finding is that teachers (educators) have begun to prepare their lessons according to the new policy. There is evidence that the teachers are striving to include EE as principle in their daily classroom practice. There is also evidence that the teachers are grappling with the newly introduced approaches that encourage hands-on learning. Although the teachers’ practice seems to be changing in line with the environmental education policy, this study suggests that it is still influenced rather negatively by past experiences, beliefs, policy contradictions and overcrowding in the classrooms.