Investigating effective strategies for integrating littering management into education for sustainable development in Vhembe East District, Limpopo

Abstract

Littering in schools remains a persistent global challenge with significant implications for learners’ health and environmental well-being. Despite the efforts of governments and schools to maintain clean and safe learning environments, littering continues to be a widespread problem. This study investigates how littering can be sustainably managed in primary schools as a form of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), focusing on selected schools in the Vhembe East District, Limpopo Province. Specifically, it explores the factors that enable or hinder the sustainable management of litter within the school environment. The study is framed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which provides a lens for understanding the attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls influencing litter management practices. An exploratory qualitative multiple case study design was employed, targeting three conveniently selected primary schools in the district. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and non-participant observations, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants included school principals, School Governing Body (SGB) chairpersons, Grade 6 Natural Science and Technology teachers, school cooks, street vendors, and learners. Focus group discussions with learners, cooks, and vendors provided diverse perspectives, while observations offered valuable insights into littering patterns and practices within the school context. The study revealed that participants possessed limited knowledge of environmental education and sustainable litter management strategies and faced numerous challenges requiring support from the Department of Basic Education. While some teachers attempted to address littering through classroom rules, learners’ codes of conduct, and outdoor activities, schools generally lacked the resources necessary for effective litter management. The findings underscore the need for external support, including teacher training, provision of recycling bins, financial assistance, and clear guidance on litter management practices. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of government-led awareness initiatives—such as campaigns to minimize litter and the establishment of school libraries to prevent littering caused by discarded learning materials. To promote sustainable litter management, the study recommends targeted teacher training on integrating litter management into classroom instruction, the provision of recycling bins and other relevant resources, systematic separation of waste for recycling, implementation of environmental awareness programmes, and the development of school-specific environmental policies by principals and School Governing Bodies.

U laṱela thukhwi zwikoloni zwi kha ḓi vha khaedu ya ḽifhasi i sa fheli ine ya vha na masiandoitwa mahulwane kha mutakalo wa vhagudi na vhuḓifari ha mupo. Naho mivhuso na zwikolo zwo ita vhuḓidini ha u vhulunga fhethu ha u guda ho kunaho na ho tsireledzeaho, u posa mathukhwi zwi kha ḓi vha thaidzo yo phaḓalalaho. Ngudo iyi i ṱoḓisisa nḓila ine u laṱwa ha mathukhwi ha nga langiwa ngayo nga nḓila i bveledzaho zwikoloni zwa phuraimari sa mufuda wa Pfunzo ya Mveledziso ya Tshifhinga tshilapfu (ESD), yo sedza kha zwikolo zwo khethiwaho zwa Tshiṱiriki tsha Vhembe Vhubvaḓuvha, Vunḓuni ḽa Limpopo. Zwo ṱanḓavhuwaho, i ṱoḓisisa zwithu zwine zwa konisa kana u thithisa ndaulo ya mathukhwi i bveledzaho nga ngomu ha vhupo ha tshikolo. Ngudo yo vhumbiwa nga Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), ine ya ṋetshedza lense ya u pfesesa mavhonele, maitele a ṱhoho, na ndaulo ya vhuḓifari yo dzhiiwaho ine ya ṱuṱuwedza maitele a u langa mathukhwi. Ho shumiswa nzudzanyo ya ngudo ya tsumbo nnzhi ya ṱhoḓisiso ya vhuimo, yo livhiswaho kha zwikolo zwiraru zwa phuraimari zwo khethiwaho zwavhuḓi kha tshiṱiriki. Datha yo kuvhanganywa nga kha inthavhiyu dzo dzudzanywaho nga tshipiḓa, nyambedzano dza zwigwada zwo livhiswaho, na ṱhogomelo dza vha sa dzheneli, nahone dza senguluswa hu tshi shumiswa tsenguluso ya thero. Vha dzhenelaho vho katela ṱhoho dza zwikolo, vhadzulatshidulo vha Tshigwada tshi Langaho Zwikolo (SGB), vhadededzi vha Gireidi ya 6 ya Saintsi ya Mvelo na Thekinoḽodzhi, vhabiki vha zwikolo, vharengisi vha zwiṱaraṱani, na vhagudiswa. Nyambedzano dza zwigwada zwo livhiswaho na vhagudi, vhabiki, na vharengisi dzo ṋetshedza mavhonele o fhambanaho, ngeno u sedza zwo ṋetshedza nḓivho ya ndeme kha maitele a u posa mathukhwi na maitele nga ngomu ha nyimele ya tshikolo. Ngudo yo dzumbulula uri vha dzhenelaho vho vha vhe na nḓivho ṱhukhu ya pfunzo ya mupo na zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u langa mathukhwi zwi bveledzaho nahone vho sedzana na khaedu nnzhi dzine dza ṱoḓa thikhedzo u bva kha Muhasho wa Pfunzo ya Mutheo. Naho vhaṅwe vhadededzi vho lingedza u tandulula u laṱwa ha mathukhwi nga milayo ya kiḽasirumuni, milayo ya vhuḓifari ya vhagudi, na mishumo ya nnḓa, zwikolo nga u angaredza zwo vha zwi si na zwishumiswa zwi ṱoḓeaho u itela u langa mathukhwi nga nḓila i bvelelaho. Mawanwa a ombedzela ṱhoḓea ya thikhedzo ya nnḓa, hu tshi katelwa na u gudisa vhadededzi, u ṋetshedzwa ha mabini a u vhuedzedza zwithu zwo no shumiswaho, thuso ya masheleni, na vhulivhisi vhu re khagala ha maitele a u langa mathukhwi. Zwiṅwe hafhu, ngudo i sumbedza ndeme ya vhukando ha u ḓivhadza vhune ha rangwa phanḓa nga muvhuso—vhu ngaho viii mafulo a u fhungudza mathukhwi na u thomiwa ha laiburari dza zwikolo u itela u thivhela mathukhwi ane a vhangwa nga zwishumiswa zwa u guda zwo laṱiwaho. U ṱuṱuwedza ndaulo ya mathukhwi i bveledzaho, ngudo i themendela vhugudisi ho livhiswaho ha vhadededzi kha u ṱanganya ndaulo ya mathukhwi kha ndayo ya kiḽasirumuni, ṋetshedzo ya mabini a u vhuedzedza mathukhwi na zwiṅwe zwishumiswa zwo teaho, u fhandekanya nga nḓila yo dzudzanyeaho mathukhwi u itela u vhuedzedza, u thomiwa ha mbekanyamushumo dza nḓivho ya mupo nga ṱhoho dza tshikolo dza mupo, na mveledziso ya mbekanyamaitele dzo khetheaho dza mupo wa tshikolo.

Ku lahliwa ka thyaka eswikolweni ku tshama ku ri ntlhontlho wa misava hinkwayo lowu phikelelaka lowu nga na switandzhaku leswikulu eka rihanyo ra vadyondzi na vuhlayiseki bya mbango. Ku nga khathariseki matshalatshala ya tihulumendhe ni swikolo ku hlayisa tindhawu to dyondzela eka tona leti tengeke ni leti hlayisekeke, ku lahliwa ka thyaka ku ya emahlweni ku va xiphiqo lexi hangalakeke. Dyondzo leyi yi lavisisa hilaha ku lahliwa ka thyaka ku nga lawuriwaka hakona hi ndlela leyi nga heriki eswikolweni swa le hansi tanihi xivumbeko xa Dyondzo ya Nhluvukiso lowu nga heriki (ESD), ku kongomisa eka swikolo leswi hlawuriweke eXifundzheni xa Vhembe East, eXifundzheninkulu xa Limpopo. Hi ku kongoma, yi lavisisa swilo leswi endlaka leswaku ku va na vulawuri lebyi nga heriki bya thyaka endzeni ka ndhawu ya xikolo. Dyondzo leyi yi vumbiwile hi Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), leyi nyikaka lens yo twisisa mavonelo, mimpimanyeto ya xiviri, na vulawuri bya mahanyelo lebyi voniwaka lebyi kucetelaka maendlelo ya vulawuri bya thyaka. Dizayini ya dyondzo ya timhaka to tala ya xiyimo xo lavisisa yi tirhisiwile, leyi kongomisiweke eka swikolo swinharhu swa le hansi leswi hlawuriweke hi ndlela yo olova eka xifundzankulu. Data yi hlengeletiwile hi ku tirhisa mimbulavurisano leyi nga hlelekangiki ngopfu, mimbulavurisano ya ntlawa lowu kongomisiweke, na ku langutisisa loku nga ngheneriki, naswona yi xopaxopiwile hi ku tirhisa nxopaxopo wa nhlokomhaka. Vatekaxiave va katsa tinhloko ta swikolo, vatshamaxitulu va Huvo leyi Fumaka ya Swikolo (SGB), vadyondzisi va Giredi ya 6 ya Sayense ya Ntumbuluko na Thekinoloji, vapheki va swikolo, vaxavisi va le xitarateni, na vadyondzi. Mimbulavurisano ya ntlawa lowu kongomisiweke na vadyondzi, vapheki, na vaxavisi yi nyikile mavonelo yo hambana, kasi ku langutisisa ku nyikile vutivi bya nkoka eka swivumbeko na maendlelo yo lahlela thyaka endzeni ka xiyimo xa xikolo. Dyondzo yi paluxile leswaku vatekaxiave a va ri na vutivi lebyi nga nyawuriki bya dyondzo ya mbango na tindlela ta vulawuri bya thyaka lebyi nga heriki naswona va langutane na mintlhontlho yo tala leyi lavaka nseketelo ku suka eka Ndzawulo ya Dyondzo ya Masungulo. Loko vadyondzisi van’wana va ringete ku lulamisa ku lahliwa ka thyaka hi ku tirhisa milawu ya tlilasi, milawu ya mahanyelo ya vadyondzi, na migingiriko ya le handle, swikolo hi ntolovelo a swi pfumala switirhisiwa leswi lavekaka eka vulawuri bya thyaka lebyi humelelaka. Swikumiwa swi kandziyisa xilaveko xa nseketelo wa le handle, ku katsa na ndzetelo wa vadyondzisi, mphakelo wa swibye swo vuyisa swilo leswi nga tirhisiwangiki, mpfuneto wa timali, na nkongomiso lowu nga erivaleni eka maendlelo ya vulawuri bya thyaka. Ku tlula kwalaho, nkambisiso lowu wu kombisa nkoka wa migingiriko yo lemukisa leyi kongomisiwaka hi mfumo—yo tanihi matshalatshala yo hunguta thyaka ni ku simekiwa ka tilayiburari ta swikolo ku sivela ku lahliwa ka thyaka loku vangiwaka hi switirhisiwa swo dyondza leswi lahliweke. Ku tlakusa vulawuri bya thyaka lebyi nga heriki, ndzavisiso wu ringanyeta ndzetelo wa vadyondzisi lowu kongomisiweke eka ku hlanganisa vulawuri bya thyaka eka ndzetelo wa le tlilasini, mphakelo wa swibye swo vuyisa thyaka na switirhisiwa swin’wana leswi

faneleke, ku hambanisiwa ka thyaka hi ndlela leyi hlelekeke ku tlheriseriwa endzhaku, ku tirhisiwa ka minongonoko yo lemukisa mbango, na ku tumbuluxiwa ka tipholisi ta mbango leti kongomisiweke eka swikolo hi tinhloko ta swikolo na Mihlangano yo Lawula Swikolo.