WESSA Annual Review 2020

21st century skills development through environmental learning was a big focus for the 2019 academic year. Our WESSA Schools Programme particularly contributed to teachers and learners further developing their project-based learning and problem-based learning skills.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

This focus on skills development ensures the sustainability of action and behaviour change for a better and more environmentally aware society , but it also significantly contributes to the holistic development of the learners who participate in our programmes to be able to go over into taking action. One of our young reporters in the WESSA YRE programme was applauded for his article on pollution in his community and received an Honourable Mention International Award, making all the South African young reporters very proud of his achievement. Teachers across South Africa have expressed that it is not just the practical and extended learning processes the WESSA Schools Programme brings that leads to success, but the professional development through peers and experts that makes the journey towards holistic sustainable learning worthwhile. In 2019, one of our teachers, using her school’s environmental action projects as evidence, entered and won the Secondary Leadership Category in the Department of Basic Education’s National Teachers Awards. Our impact at a school transformation level has become more sophisticated by directly responding to and addressing environmental, social and economic challenges in communities. We have worked hard to link environmental action projects to the learners’ everyday lived realities that prevent them from living a dignified and fulfilled life. Education, including environmental education, has become an important driving force behind reaching the sustainable development goals by 2030. As the WESSA Schools Programme, our commitment to inclusive and holistic environmental education and learning has created a well- established journey for South African children to actively take part in driving global transformation at grassroots level . In 2019 we have registered 693 schools to participate in the WESSA International Schools Programme which includes the Eco-schools, Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) and Learning About Forests (LEAF). The statistics of achievements for the 2019 year for these programmes are shown below. By March 2020 we have registered 452 schools before the COVID19 pandemic struck, and unfortunately due to the long closure of schools, no real action project implementation could take place.

693

Schools Registered

1 563

Environmental change projects

1 112

Number of trees planted

751 855

Learners involved

Teachers involved 19 711

393

Environmental workshops

Respond to challenges communities face

Develop & nurture the skills of future leaders

Prepare learners for a world of work

Ensuring quality and equal education

Sustainable change in communities

Annual Review 2019-2020

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