Cape Town – To control the wetlands that run through Bongolethu Primary School’s yard in Philippi, 15 water pear trees were planted by pupils, who also learnt about forestry and recycling.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) donated the trees last week, after acting principal Bulelwa Gqotso said the DFFE requested to do a school outreach with the learners.
Minister Barbara Creecy visited the school on Friday.
The trees will be taken care of by pupils from each grade.
Gqotso said that the school was advised to start an eco club.
“Phumeza Simelane approached the school and said they would like to do a school outreach with our learners where they would teach them about waste management, pollution, forestry and recycling.
“They also said we should start an eco club and teach our learners about the environment.
“They might come back and if they find that our eco club is successful, the department might sponsor a school outing to learn about the environment,” said Gqotso.
Senior communications officer of DFFE, Phumeza Simelane, said the department urged schools to have eco clubs to teach learners about the environment and how to take care of trees.
“We usually arrange this programme for the learners where we come to a chosen school and do an awareness campaign education, we call it educational outreach. We speak a lot about pollution, waste management and recycling.
“All together for the school, we have donated 15 trees; 12 will be planted today (Thursday)... Mainly we give indigenous trees, sometimes we give out ornament trees, sometimes fruit trees trees that they also get fruit from,” said Simelane.
Cape Times