The awareness of wildlife conservation by learners and educators in the Bojanala district, North-West Province Soth Africa

Abstract

Thesis (M.Ed) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010

This dissertation is entitled, "The Awareness of Wildlife Conservation by learners and educators in
 the Bojanala District". Following a national initiative driven by the Department of Education, the
 entire School Curriculum is being changed. Since 1998 there has been a shift from the traditional
 system of individual, unrelated subjects to an emphasis on integrated themes. The subject of
 environment was to be incorporated into the new curriculum, particularly at the primary school
 level, through these themes. The Environmental Education, particularly wildlife conservation topics
 are therefore likely to receive more attention than it has in the past. However the system has not yet
 been designed to cater for such topics, which can educate learners on how to preserve, protect and
 conserve their wildlife species. It is unclear how effective education around environmental issues
 will be.
 The study sought to answer the following research questions:
 • Does the National Curriculum Statement cater for Environmental Education,
 particularly for the wildlife conservation topics in Bojanala District?
 • Do educators in schools and other NGO'S promote wildlife conservation in Bojanala
 District?
 • What learners' and educators' activities and natural traits endanger wildlife?
 • Can game animals be managed sustainably?
 The study drew its population and sample from the Bojanala District area which included both
 Bojanala West and Bojanala East. The data collected through questionnaire and interviews were
 subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
 The literature search revealed that wildlife extinction comes about when the birth rate of an
 established population remains less than its death rate for a sufficiently long time interval to allow
 random fluctuations in the yearly death rate to diminish the population size to zero. Findings on the
 view of people were also noted. Learners and educators, including other community members
 around the Bojanala District area, particularly in the rural areas, have unquestionably contributed to
 the high rate of extinction of many modem species either directly through hunting or indirectly
 through habitat destruction. Most of the learners lack information as far as wildlife conservation is
 concerned.
 Concerning the remedies, environmentalists and NGO'S around the Bojanala District areas should
 ensure and encourage the conservation organizations to collaborate their conservation projects
 together with the local schools to ensure proper understanding as far as wildlife conservation is
 concerned and to educate both learners and educators on how to protect wildlife species.
 Finally, to ensure success in trying to deal with the problem caused by lack of knowledge in wildlife
 conservation matters or projects, the study expressed the need for further research to be conducted
 on the Curriculum Development, to find out why Environmental Education programmes,
 particularly wildlife conservation topics are not yet included or integrated into other school learning
 areas.

Masters