On the 24th of March 2023, the South African Education Project (SAEP) took 22 students from Vukani Primary School based in Lower Crossroads in Phillipi to an environmental hike in Newlands Forest. The educational hike is linked to the Caps curriculum.
The aim of this hike was to promote physical education and they are also linked to one of their subjects, Life Orientation. Activities kicked off with an ice-breaker so that the students could be more comfortable and be able to participate in the activities of the day, the ground rules were explained, whereafter a group picture was taken and the hike started.
In the middle of the forest, learners sat down, meditated and were asked to listen, smell and try to clear their minds. After the meditation session they were asked which environment they would choose between the forest and their location majority of them chose the forest and gave their reasons. The hike continued until learners reached the river where they were asked questions such as where the water comes from and where it eventually ends up. The hike covered topics that included plants, the ecosystem and the interaction between plants, people and the ecosystem.