The Organic Classroom Program in South Africa

Summary

SEEDs Organic Classroom Program partners w/ under-resourced schools for three years. The exit strategy ensures a sustainable Permaculture system for food security and a living laboratory for teaching.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

25% of learners come to school too hungry to learn. Township schools resemble deserts. Learners are affected by the pressures of unemployment (drug abuse, gangs). There is little inspiring input around them. There is the need to create a healthy learning environment, to supplement diets with nutritious food and to educate and provide food security skills. There is a need for social gardening, where learners gain esteem and hope through the metaphor of transformation in gardening.

How will this project solve this problem?

SEED transforms learning through Permaculture. Teachers are supported to link all on-ground work to teaching practice. SEED builds outdoor classrooms and relevant productiver Permaculture systems as delivery of Outcomes Based Education.

Potential Long Term Impact

This project has the potential to change whole communities as it works with clusters of schools and thus the effects are multiplied. This project gets communities working positively together to provide for their needs (food, community, education).

Project Message

“I now understand what we need to do – we should not grow food gardens around schools, but build schools in food gardens.”
- Kevin Pretorious, SEED Principal, Rocklands Primary

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources