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Sustainable Environmental Management Indicators in South African Primary Schools

Author

Listed:
  • Luiza O. De Sousa

    (Geography Education & Environmental Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

  • Barry W. Richter

    (Geography Education & Environmental Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

  • Schalk P. Raath

    (Geography Education & Environmental Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

Abstract

This research explores sustainable environmental management indicators in South African primary schools. Of key interest is the comparison of a township, farm and urban primary school that identify indicators that promote education for sustainable development in schools that implement an environmental management system. Data are drawn from one-on-one interviews, focus group interviews, observations and document analysis from 35 participants in three schools. A comparison of the three schools was done by content and thematic analysis of a within-case analysis. Data from the township school revealed that socioeconomic factors and organisational structure promote education for sustainable development. The farm school data revealed that health promotion can be managed within an environmental management system within a hierarchical school structure. The urban school data revealed that an economic inducement brings a school to realise that it can reduce its carbon footprint, gain financially and utilize its resources with innovation. A case is made that the four pillars of sustainable development (environment, society, economy, and governance) endorse education for sustainable development. Furthermore, the objectives of environmental education ought to remain nested in an environmental management system to ensure that the global goal of quality education is achieved.

Suggested Citation

  • Luiza O. De Sousa & Barry W. Richter & Schalk P. Raath, 2017. "Sustainable Environmental Management Indicators in South African Primary Schools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-23, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:854-:d:99115
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jens Newig & Daniel Schulz & Daniel Fischer & Katharina Hetze & Norman Laws & Gesa Lüdecke & Marco Rieckmann, 2013. "Communication Regarding Sustainability: Conceptual Perspectives and Exploration of Societal Subsystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Norichika Kanie & Naoya Abe & Masahiko Iguchi & Jue Yang & Ngeta Kabiri & Yuto Kitamura & Shunsuke Mangagi & Ikuho Miyazawa & Simon Olsen & Tomohiro Tasaki & Taro Yamamoto & Tetsuro Yoshida & Yuka Hay, 2014. "Integration and Diffusion in Sustainable Development Goals: Learning from the Past, Looking into the Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-15, April.
    3. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
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    2. Emmanuel Olusola Adu & Sindiswa S. Zondo, 2022. "Chronicling teacher’s experiences in the teaching of economics in the Covid-19 era," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(8), pages 290-297, November.

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