The Impact of Environment On Performance in Schools: A Case Study of Kyazanga Town Council, Lwengo District

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 1.0 Background to the Study the Environment is our surroundings. This includes living and non-living things around us. The non-living components of the environment are land, water, and air. The living components are germs, plants, animals, and people. All plants and animals adjust to the environment in which they are born and live. A charge in any component of the environment may cause discomfort and affect normal life. Any unlivable change or degeneration in the environment is known as Environmental Pollution. About 1-2 billion of carbon dioxide arise from land-use changes including mining and quarrying, and environmental pollution is a common problem in many countries worldwide. For example in Russia decline in soil fertility has been recorded while in India, deforestation and associated forms of land degradation like quarrying have economic and ecological deteriorations (UNEP Report 1992). A number of schools with severe mold problems turned to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Kit for assistance. EPA’s IAQ TfS Program offers guidance to schools on how to prevent and resolve mold problems. Schools that commit to improving their IAQ can provide staff and students with cleaner, healthier places in which to work and learn. The schools featured in this case study have developed a variety of effective strategies that have helped them to identify, mitigate, and prevent mold-related problems. These strategies include replacing standard cellulose ceiling tiles with antimicrobial tiles; appointing a staff member in each building to check for signs of mold growth; involving teachers in the process of identifying and correcting problems; and establishing a preventive maintenance program. The environment can be in form of social and economic factors that affect school performance. In economic terms, it can affect performance in form of lack of income, and social as drug abuse due to involvement in peer groups, violence caused by some teachers, and lack of qualified teachers.