Geographic analysis of waste management practices in rural and urban schools: A case study of Maruleng Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Abstract

This study examined the geographical factors influencing waste management practices across eleven primary schools in the Maruleng Local Municipality, comprising two urban and nine rural schools. Data was collected through focus group interviews with teachers and support staff, supplemented by a quantitative analysis using Chi-square tests to explore associations between school type and waste management challenges. The findings reveal clear disparities between urban and rural schools, with rural schools remaining significantly disadvantaged due to inadequate infrastructure, limited municipal waste collection, and entrenched informal disposal methods such as burning and burying waste. These practices reflect a reactive and unsustainable approach to waste management. Nonetheless, initiatives such as composting, recycling clubs, and environmental awareness programmes illustrate potential pathways for fostering environmental stewardship within school communities. The results further show that effective and sustainable waste management cannot rely solely on infrastructure; it depends on the interaction between cultural practices, learner behavior, institutional support, and municipal service provision. The success of composting initiatives at Seagotle, Makgwahleng, and Lepono demonstrates that integrating waste management activities into the school curriculum can position schools as catalysts for environmental change. In contrast, urban schools displayed more structured systems supported by partnerships and formal disposal mechanisms. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the study concludes that improving school-based waste management requires strengthening positive environmental attitudes, promoting supportive social norms, and enhancing perceived behavioural control through the provision of adequate resources, training, and municipal collaboration.