By Dr Bradwill Joewindean Jansen

A new study into pesticide exposure at rural schools has revealed alarming environmental health risks facing children in farm schools, highlighting systemic neglect in South Africa’s agricultural regions. In September 2025, the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU) and the Trust for Community Outreach and Education (TCOE) launched a joint water testing campaign in response to escalating reports from educators and community members about the poor quality of water in farm schools across the Langeberg area. The results revealed that only 8 out of 18 schools tested had safe water, with the remaining schools showing microbial contamination and unsafe drinking conditions. 

Pesticide Exposure

The water study followed a month-long investigation across the 18 schools in June 2025, capturing testimonies through surveys and interviews with educators and principals and focus groups with farmworkers and parents, while fieldworkers documented environmental evidence. The investigation showed that 14 of the 18 schools are located within 500 metres of active spraying zones and that children and educators are frequently exposed to pesticide drift during school hours. 

Teachers reported that chemical mist often drifts into classrooms without warning, forcing lessons to be interrupted or, in one case, an evacuation. Learners regularly experience headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, burning eyes, dizziness, and rashes during spraying periods. Educators also noted that concentration and attendance decline sharply during spraying seasons, undermining children’s right to education.

Water Contamination

The results of the water testing revealed that 56% of schools tested exhibited varying degrees of pesticide residues. Using community-based testing kits supplied by the International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG), the study found that only 8 schools had safe water. The remaining 10 schools showed microbial contamination, with samples turning black within 48–72 hours – evidence of high bacterial loads. Teachers and parents reported frequent cases of diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, rashes, and fatigue among learners. 

Chemical residues such as nitrates and pesticides were also detected, posing additional risks including endocrine disruption and neurotoxicity. Teachers observed slower comprehension and weaker performance in reading and arithmetic, linking poor water quality directly to learning outcomes.

Cognitive Impacts: Evidence from UCT Study

A broader scientific study published in November 2025 by the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, found similar results. The study reported on data collected from 445 school children ages nine to 16 between 2017 and 2019 in the Hex River Valley, Grabouw and Piketberg in the Western Cape. Results showed: 

• 12 of 13 pesticides were detected in over 98% of children tested.
• Higher levels of chlorpyrifos and profenfos were linked to poorer cognitive flexibility.
• Exposure to pyrethroids and triazoles was associated with weaker inhibitory control.
• Researchers warned that chronic, low-level exposure during childhood and adolescence – critical windows of brain development – may cause lasting impairments in attention, problem-solving, and self-regulation.

The UCT team concluded that pesticide exposure compromises executive function, a set of higher-order processes essential for academic achievement and behavioural regulation. These findings reinforce the community-based evidence from Langeberg and Overberg, showing that environmental hazards are not only making children sick but also eroding their developmental potential.

Structural Inequality

Both studies highlight that affected children are overwhelmingly from farmworker families in historically marginalized rural communities. Farm schools often rely on untreated boreholes, tanks, or rivers rather than municipal water systems, leaving them vulnerable to contamination. The proximity of schools to spraying zones and the absence of protective buffer policies further expose learners to environmental hazards. Researchers describe the situation as a form of environmental racism, noting that urban and suburban schools are not subjected to similar risks.

Policy Failures

The findings point to significant governance gaps.

• No legal buffer zones exist around schools to prevent pesticide drift.
• Farmers are not required to notify communities before spraying.
• Municipal and provincial authorities do not regularly monitor rural school water supplies.
• Departments of Education and Health provide no systematic guidance or support.

As a result, schools and parents are left to manage crises without institutional protection.

Community Response

Despite these challenges, communities are mobilizing. CSAAWU and TCOE have used the visual evidence of contaminated water samples – bottles of water turning black within days – as organizing tools in public meetings. Parents, teachers, and learners are demanding:

• Pesticide-free zones around schools.
• Mandatory warning systems before spraying.
• Regular medical screenings for affected children.
• Infrastructure investment to connect farm schools to safe municipal water.
• A transition toward agroecological farming practices that reduce reliance on chemical inputs.

Together, the investigation and water studies reveal a dual crisis undermining both health and education in rural South Africa. The evidence shows that farm schools are not safe learning environments but sites of exposure to toxic chemicals and contaminated water. Researchers warn that without urgent policy intervention, rural children will continue to suffer preventable illnesses and educational setbacks.

Image Credit: Liezl Human/GroundUp