After three years of sustained effort, Laddsworth Primary School in Hilton is very proud to have achieved its Eco-Schools Green Flag status.
Eco-Schools is an international programme of environmental and sustainable development education for schools. This management and certification programme involves pupils in making decisions and carrying out activities related to the environment. It takes three years to obtain Green Flag status because schools first have to earn Bronze and then Silver certificate status.
The scheme aims to raise pupils' awareness of sustainable development issues through classroom study and community action. Primary and high schools take part, choosing themes to focus on like resource use, nature and biodiversity, local and global issues, healthy living, noise, and climate change. The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) implements the Eco-Schools programme in South Africa.
To participate in the programme, Laddsworth has organised and undertaken projects including a recycling programme, indigenous gardens and tree planting programme and an energy-saving drive. This year they established an Eco-club as part of the extra-mural programme to encourage greater learner involvement
Eco-Schools was founded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and according to Wikipedia, by 2010 there were 32 000 schools in 47 countries participating.
Pictured here with the new Eco-Schools flag are the members of the Eco-club committee at Laddsworth, left to right: Mary Wheeler, Robyn Pillay, Kayleigh Szente, and Sasha Wiggill.
News and image supplied by Laddsworth Primary School.