Perceptions of teachers on the implementation of the waste management hierarchy within secondary schools

Abstract

Education plays an important role towards improved waste management, and may influence the implementation of national policy objectives, such as the waste management hierarchy. This research aimed to determine the perceptions of teachers in the implementation of waste management hierarchy within South African schools. The research followed a case study approach, focusing on secondary schools in the Ekurhuleni North District in Gauteng. Interviews were conducted with 85 teachers from 29 secondary schools to explore their perceptions on the implementation of the waste management hierarchy. The research objectives specifically focused on understanding (i) knowledge and level of implementation of the waste management hierarchy at secondary schools; and exploring (ii) opportunities and (iii) challenges towards implementing the waste management hierarchy at these schools. The results show that schools generate waste streams (such as paper, plastic and cans), with the potential to be moved "up the waste management hierarchy". The majority of waste generated at sampled schools is sent to landfills (86%) and more than half of the schools (55%) do not practice any separation of waste. When teachers were asked about their perceptions of the concept "waste management hierarchy", divergent opinions existed about what it entailed. All of the teachers interviewed indicated that they would support the implementation of the waste management hierarchy at their schools, because they realised the benefit towards keeping the environment clean, saving resources and contributing to the education of their learners. Only 27% of the respondents believed that their schools were doing enough to promote the waste management hierarchy, while a significant number of teachers (73%) were of the opinion that their schools are not doing enough to promote the waste management hierarchy in schools. Teachers suggested that education (32%), more bins (35%), campaigns focused on waste management (20%) and administrative support (13%) were necessary to promote the waste management hierarchy at schools. About half of the respondents perceived secondary school teachers to have adequate knowledge of the waste management hierarchy. Respondents reported that school teachers impart knowledge to their learners on prevention of pollution, reuse and recycling, conservation of resources, and business opportunities from waste - which relate to the waste management hierarchy. All of the teachers interviewed reported that they would be willing to participate in programmes, forums or activities towards implementing the waste management hierarchy at their schools. Opportunities identified by school teachers towards implementing the waste management hierarchy included the acquisition of waste separation infrastructure, increasing human resource capacity, acquiring funding, improving competence and skills of educators and increasing awareness of learners. The main challenges identified with regards to implementing the waste management hierarchy at secondary schools included administrative issues, lack of infrastructure, learner attitudes/behaviour and time constraints.