Eco-Schools programme leads learners towards sustainable, climate-resilient schools

Learners at 18 schools around the country have been supported by Sun International in a two-year partnership with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) in creating eco-classrooms to build environmental resilience in schools and their communities.
Sun International donated over R1m to support the programme in schools in areas surrounding their properties.
Locally, Carnival City has contributed R118 000 and is supporting Buhlebemfundo Secondary School and Tsimong Primary School.
The other casinos include Cape Town’s Grand West hotel and casino (Bellville South Secondary and Riverton Primary with R143 028), Bloemfontein’s Windmill Casino (Lereko Secondary with R117 000), Gauteng’s Central Office (Ekukhanyisweni Primary, Tembisa Secondary, Moduopo Primary and Ipontshe Primary with R 177 721), Pretoria’s Time Square (Mamelodi Pre-Vocational and Soshanguve Secondary with R117 000), Durban’s Sibaya Casino (Sterngrove Primary, Glenhaven Secondary, Waterloo Secondary, Phoenix Secondary and Palmview Secondary with R215 662), Worcester’s Golden Valley hotel and casino (Bo-Doorn Rivier Primary with R 22 279) and the South Coast’s Wild Coast Sun resort (Plangeni Junior with R112 000).

The programme kicked off in August and runs until the end of July 2023, involving over 450 learners from grades 6 to 10.
“Learners that understand the science, impacts and solutions, are better prepared to deal with the climate crisis and advocate for mitigation and adaptation policies at a local and national level,” said WESSA senior project manager Nomfundo Ndlovu.

WESSA is one of South Africa’s oldest and largest independent non-profit environmental organisations. It was formed in 1926 when a group of passionate individuals got together to campaign for the creation of a National Parks Board (now known as SANParks) to ensure the proclamation of the Kruger National Park and other national parks.
“Sun International Eco-Schools project will support schools with the creation of eco-classrooms. Here learners, teachers and school leadership will use the eco-schools seven steps framework to chart a way to building resilience in their schools and communities,” said Sun International SED manager Heidi Edson.

These steps are: Write an eco-code, form an eco-committee, do an environmental review, develop an action plan, monitor and evaluate, link to the curriculum, inform and involve others.
Edson said schools had advanced to having completed their environmental review where learners can articulate the pressing environmental issues and start to seek implementable solutions to tackle some of these challenges with the support of WESSA and Sun International. Some of the challenges that will be addressed are poor waste management, substance abuse and poor sanitation.
Schools will also select specific themes that will give them specific focus areas for their projects.