Interpretation and implementation of the environmental education curriculum: a case study of three Lesotho schools

Abstract

English: This study aims to determine how the Lesotho school curriculum promotes environmental learning and how teachers implement this aspect of the curriculum. The framework of teaching about, in and for the environment is used to analyse curriculum documents as well as the way in which teachers at three Lesotho schools implement the curriculum. The results show that the intended curriculum contains laudable goals with regard to learning in and for the environment. However, teachers interpret the curriculum in such a way that they teach mainly about the environment; never in the environment and seldom engage learners in activities where they could develop positive attitudes encouraging them to act for the environment. This has implications for the promotion of environmental education in Lesotho schools.

Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie studie is om te bepaal hoe Lesotho se omgewingsopvoedingkurri-kulum promoveer asook hoe onderwysers hierdie kurrikulum implementeer. Die konsepte van in en vir die omgewing is gebruik as raamwerk in die analise van kurrikulumdokumente sowel as vir die wyse waarop onderwysers in drie skole in Lesotho die kurrikulum implementer. Die bevindinge wys dat die kurrikulum prysenswaardige doelwitte bevat om leer met betrekking tot in en vir die omgewing te bevorder. Aan die ander kant interpreteer onderwysers die kurrikulum op so ’n wyse dat hulle hoofsaaklik fokus op leer van die omgewing; nooit in die omgewing nie en selde leerlinge die geleentheid bied om betrokke te raak in aktiwiteite waardeur hulle positiewe waardes kan ontwikkel wat hulle sal aanspoor om aksie te neem vir die omgewing. Dit het noodwendig implikasies vir die bevordering van omgewingsopvoeding in Lesotho-skole.