Paper Title
Aesthetic Elements Enhancing Heathy And Safe School Environments: With Reference To Eastern – Cape Province Based Schools In South Africa

Abstract
Health and safety are recognised globally as fundamental to the well-being of the individual. The World Health Organisation has also recognised that the extent to which a nation’s schools provide safe and healthy environments determine whether the next generation is educated and healthy. This paper focuses on a South African context, looking at how schools enhance healthy and safe school environments through aesthetic elements, which are critical to the holistic development and wellbeing of the school community, inclusive of staff and learners. Aesthetics in the context of this paper refers to the school atmosphere in terms of ambience and neatness, amongst other elements. The empirical study focused on schools within the Eastern Cape, South Africa, mostly characterised by poor resources and impoverishment. The aim of the paper is to engage on the need to re-direct governments’ focus on aesthetic elements and their role in the well-being of learners within schools. Keywords - Healthy and Safe School Environments; Aesthetics, Enhancing School Environments and Learner Development