It takes just 10 minutes to bake a loaf of bread using tin foil and the energy from the sun. This was demonstrated by Debora Hammann and Claudette van Wyk, Grade 7 learners from Barberton Primary School. Their project, which showed the use of energy-efficient solar and biogas technologies through the use of scientific principles, was once of five presented at the culmination of the Enviroschools Project.
The project is run by Eskom in partnership with the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa (Wessa). ‘The aim of the project is to play a small part in promoting active learning in the field of environmental education,” says Dave Duncan of Wessa.
The project involves learners at both primary and secondary school. Schools are required to present projects that focus on a range of energy issues and their interaction with the environment.
This year 259 schools participated in the project, 90% of them based in rural areas. Regional events were held in all nine provinces. Last month, five schools presented their projects at Eskom’s headquarters in Johannesburg.
All five projects showed learners approaching the topic of energy from different angles with an awareness of their environments and how the issue was relevant to their communities. The projects ranged from identifying energy sources and energy uses in the community, to energy-saving initiatives.
Lugada Junior Secondary School conducted an audit of energy sources used in their rural surroundings and discovered the importance of paraffin. The project also developed an awareness campaign on conservation and safety.
Mnceba Senior Secondary School surveyed 195 newly electrified households to assess people’s knowledge of electricity safety measures. They discovered that a mass of ignorance surrounds the use of electricity. Eskom had installed electricity and left without providing any safety education. The project stressed the need for South Africans to be better informed about the potential dangers of electricity.
Learners from Sitiyweni Secondary, like those from Barberton Primary School, looked at locally available alternative sources of energy. These learners did a biogas project in which they used cow dung to make methane gas.
By actively involving learners in examing energy issues in their environments, the project ‘provides an opportunity for teachers to bring fundamental maths and science principles to life,” says Steve Lennon, executive director of resources and strategy at Eskom. ‘It is also an opportunity to discover new innovations,” adds Lennon.
The national programme for environmental education, announced by Minister of Education, Kader Asmal, outlined the need for an active learning process, which is central to the principles of outcomes-based education.
‘Active learning overflows into the community, both influencing and assisting it,” explains Duncan. Through projects like Enviroschools learners see how their efforts can make a difference to their environment.
Some of these projects will be submitted to the Eta Awards, an initiative to promote the efficient use of energy, which will take place at the same time as the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August. ‘This will provide the learners with an opportunity to demonstrate South Africa’s commitment to energy efficiency to a gobal audience,” says Vanida Govender, corporate environmental affairs manager at Eskom.
The schools were rewarded for their efforts with R6 000 towards school funds and stationery packs for the participating learners.
Schools interested in getting involved in the Enviroschools project, should contact WESSA on (011) 884 4773