The main objectives of the schools’ programme are:

• To raise awareness among educators, learners and their families
• To enable educators to raise awareness of the cause and effect of poor waste
  management and the benefits of integrated waste management
• To provide environmental tools to enhance quality of life
• To assist schools with portfolio development and waste minimisation projects

So far, 62 schools in Cape Town have participated in the WasteWise school programme.
 
Schools and learners are encouraged to participate in:

• School holiday art and craft programmes in libraries and community centres
• Metrorail’s Edutrain
• The City of Cape Town’s year-long Youth Environment Schools (YES) programme
• Conferences, competitions and awards
• Eco-schools

Eco-schools programme

The Department of Solid Waste works with the Western Cape’s Eco-Schools Programme and
the City’s Youth Environmental Schools (YES) programme to provide training to learners and educators in waste management and the efficient use of resources.

Eco-Schools was launched in South Africa in May 2003 by the Wildlife & Environment Society for
South Africa (WESSA), and aims to achieve sustainable environmental management by integrating the environment into the national education curriculum and empowering teachers and learners to implement environmental policies at school level.

The Western Cape Eco-schools support group works with 70 schools in Cape Town and reaches
approximately 68 000 learners.