Highlands Primary School in Woodlands celebrates World Environment Day every week until the end of June.
World Environment Day was celebrated countrywide on Saturday June 5.
On Friday June 18, the pupils showed the Plainsman how they collected and made their compost, of fruit, eggshells and tea bags, to name a few. They also made personal compost bottles, including earthworms, so they can implement this at home as part of lifelong learning.
The children are making their own compost with vegetable plant matter, said co-ordinator for Green Fingers Project at the school, Terrosita Chee Mee. In the end the compost matter will turn dark brown as it decomposes. Seeing the decomposition process of the plant matter is interesting to the children and forms part of lifelong learning, said Ms Chee Mee.
Principal of Highlands Primary, Tanya van Graan, said due to Covid-19 the Western Cape Education Department couldn’t sustain the school gardeners and the school had to think on their feet.
Ms Chee Mee worked with the pupils and guided them. Their sustainable project also aligned with their curriculum as pupils learn a bit more about their environment and how they can use these skills at home, said Ms Van Graan.
“We interact with the pupils regularly on their Green Fingers Project and keep the garden healthy and clean. We know it may also be therapeutic to the children and knowledgeable for them, educating them more and more on their environment,” said Ms Van Graan.
Teacher and Green Fingers Project member, Tasneem George, said the pupils have been keeping the garden in good condition for a while now. “They would pick snails from the garden, sort the plant matter, the school scouts even joined the Green Finger Project and we’re so happy they’ve joined. The children are the reason for the sustenance of their school garden,” she said.
Pupil, Uyanda Yenge, 10, said she enjoys planting vegetables and weeding in the garden.
Marsha Harrison, 9, said she loves gardening as it is nice to work in the garden alongside her peers.
Faith Roman, 10, said she likes gardening as she gets to keep it clean and tidy.
The school and teachers said they are grateful to the parents and guardians who have been supporting their children by sending compost, bottles, to name a few, for their school garden.