Pictured above: WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete

(Press release – 8 May 2026)

The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) concluded all provincial awards ceremonies for its 2025 Eco Schools programme end of March this year.

More than 430 schools across South Africa have been recognised for their environmental leadership and measurable sustainability action at the WESSA Eco-Schools Awards 2025, marking a powerful national movement driven by education, youth leadership and community impact.

Across eight provinces – including Gauteng (120+ schools), Free State (134 schools), KwaZulu-Natal (46), Western Cape (31), Eastern Cape (31), Northern Cape (29), Limpopo (24) and Mpumalanga (17) – the awards celebrate schools that are transforming environmental awareness into meaningful, on-the-ground action.

(Pictured above: (clockwise from top) Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, Northern Cape recipients)

Implemented by WESSA (The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa), the Eco-Schools programme continues to demonstrate how education can drive real-world solutions – from water conservation and waste reduction to biodiversity protection and circular economy initiatives.

WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete positions the Eco-Schools programme within the organisation’s centenary milestone and reinforces its national significance: “In 2026 WESSA celebrates 100 years of citizen action, 100 years of environmental leadership, and 100 years of believing that education is the lever that will make a change in our communities and in our schools. Eco-Schools in South Africa is one of the most impactful environmental education programmes in this country – a teacher movement and a learner-led action campaign.”

Across provinces, a consistent theme emerged: schools are no longer simply learning about sustainability, they are actively shaping it.

(Pictured above: (clockwise from top) Gauteng, Free State, Eastern Cape and Limpopo recipients)

WESSA Head of Education and Sustainability Kelly Alcock highlights the programme’s outcomes-driven impact: “What makes it powerful is not its scale, it is its measurable change. This is education that moves beyond awareness into action.”

Similarly, WESSA Schools and Youth Senior Programme Manager Nomfundo Ndlovu emphasises the shift from participation to leadership: “When learners are given the tools, space and support to engage with real-world challenges, they don’t just participate, they lead.”

Across the regional award ceremonies, provincial partners and keynote speakers reinforced the broader societal value of environmental education:

• In Limpopo, keynote speaker Farina Lindeque from the University of Limpopo highlighted the importance of experiential learning, sharing that, “Environmental education becomes powerful when we design experiences that move learners from noticing to caring to acting.”
• In the Eastern Cape, education leader Pumla Gxuluwe reflected on the programme’s long-term impact, reminding us that, “When we invest in young people and the environment together, we are planting the strongest roots for the future.”
• In Gauteng, Ms Dululu Hlatshaneni, Deputy Director: Social Cohesion and Equity in Education at the Department of Basic Education, emphasised that, “These achievements reflect leadership, innovation and a shared vision for sustainable development.”
• Across provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape, schools demonstrated how local action translates into measurable impact, from recycling thousands of kilograms of waste to restoring ecosystems and driving community-based environmental initiatives.

Several notable award winners across provinces further highlighted schools that have demonstrated exceptional, long-term commitment, innovation and leadership in environmental education:

• KwaZulu-Natal
  • Emerald Award (20 years): Pitlochry Primary School; Shea O’Connor Combined School
  • Arum Lily Award (22 years): Epworth School; The Birches Pre-Primary School
• Gauteng
  • Platinum 2 Decade (Year 17): Pecanwood College
• Free State:
  • Diamond Award (10 Years Participation): Batjha Primary School (Botshabelo, Mangaung Metro) and Nthuthuzelo Primary School (Bultfontein, Lejweleputswa District)
• Western Cape:
  • Silver Decade Award: Newberry House Montessori School
  • Platinum 1 Decade Award: Sir Lowry’s Pass Primary School
  • Platinum 2 Decade Award: Beaumont Primary School

As WESSA marks its centenary year in 2026, the Eco-Schools Awards highlight more than achievement, they reflect a growing national movement where classrooms are becoming hubs of environmental leadership.

As Cloete concludes: “We are not just teaching learners about environmental challenges, we are equipping them to respond with confidence, creativity, and purpose.”

From urban centres to rural communities, these schools collectively demonstrate that the future of environmental sustainability in South Africa is already being shaped – one classroom at a time.

Gallery – links to full Facebook albums for 2025 Eco Schools Awards event

• Western Cape
• Gauteng
• Limpopo
• Northern Cape
• Free State
• Mpumalanga
• Kwa-Zulu Natal
• Eastern Cape