Education Programme

the wilderness is the classroom.

Bring your students to one of Africa’s last genuine wilderness areas. OWA KORA education weeks connect young people with living conservation — not textbooks about it.

8–24
students per group
5–14
days per programme
Ages 10+
primary through university
4
curriculum subjects

why OWA KORA

learning that changes how you see the world.

Our education programme is built around one belief: young people understand conservation best when they experience it directly, working alongside the people who live it every day.

Groups work with our rangers, biologists and community partners on real ongoing projects. This is not a safari with a worksheet. Students contribute to actual data collection, water infrastructure and species monitoring that continues after they leave.

“Three days tracking elephant movement data changed how a whole class thought about ecosystems. No textbook does that.”
Biology teacher, participating school — 2025
see our programmes curriculum links

our programmes

four pathways, one wilderness.

Each programme is adapted to the age group and learning objectives of the visiting group. All include field work, ranger-led sessions and community interaction.

Ages 10 – 13 🦁

Wild Explorers

An introduction to African wildlife and wild ecosystems. Students learn animal tracking, food chain relationships and what conservation means in practice. Designed to be immersive and wonder-led rather than information-heavy.

Animal Tracking Ecosystems Storytelling
5 days · up to 20 students
Ages 16+ / University 🧬

Field Studies Expedition

A rigorous scientific programme for A-Level biology / geography groups and university students. Students design and execute a field research project under supervision, producing a data report they can use for academic credit.

Research Design Data Analysis Academic Report
10 – 14 days · up to 12 students
Teachers & Educators 📐

Teacher CPD Retreat

A professional development programme for teachers wanting to bring real-world conservation science into their classrooms. Hands-on field sessions, curriculum mapping workshops and access to our education resource library.

CPD Certified Curriculum Mapping Resource Pack
5 days · up to 10 teachers

learning outcomes

what students take home.

01

Systems Thinking

Understanding complex ecological relationships — predator-prey, water cycles, human-wildlife interaction — through direct observation rather than diagrams.

02

Field Science Skills

Data collection, species identification, GPS mapping, camera trap analysis and basic field research methodology applicable to any natural science curriculum.

03

Community & Ethics

First-hand experience of how conservation intersects with local communities, land rights and livelihoods. Ethics of intervention. The politics of protection.

04

Physical Resilience

Early starts, long walks, genuine physical demands. Students discover they are more capable than they thought. This matters beyond the classroom.

05

Cross-Cultural Exchange

Working and eating alongside the Mpareke family and local community members. Learning to listen before you speak. Perspectives that last a lifetime.

06

Personal Responsibility

Students contribute to real, ongoing work. The well they helped build continues to serve wildlife and community after they leave. Their actions have consequences that matter.


a week at camp

each day is different.

A sample schedule for the Field Rangers programme (ages 14–18, 7-day). Actual programmes are adapted to group and conditions.

Afternoon
Transfer from Rundu airport to camp
4WD convoy through Kavango bush. First wildlife sightings en route.
Evening
Camp orientation & safety briefing
Rules of the bush. Emergency procedures. Equipment allocation.
Sunset
Welcome campfire with team
Meet François, the rangers and the Mpareke family. What to expect this week.
Night
First night under the stars
Camp bedtime 21:00. Early starts begin tomorrow.
05:30
Dawn walk with head ranger
Animal tracking basics. Reading spoor. Identifying species by signs.
08:00
Breakfast & debrief
Document observations. Introduction to field notebooks.
10:00
Ecosystem lecture in the field
Not in a classroom — standing in the habitat being discussed.
15:00
Camera trap installation
Groups deploy 6 camera traps across the property. GPS logging.
05:30
Wildlife count at water point
Species counting, behaviour observation, data recording. Real research.
09:00
Water quality testing
Sample collection and basic chemical analysis at the wells. Discuss results.
13:00
Camera trap download
Retrieve first images. Species ID session. Map animal movement.
16:00
Data analysis workshop
Turn raw field data into graphs and observations. Guided by Lena.
07:00
Village visit — Mpareke family
Guided tour of traditional homestead. Conversation and tea.
10:00
Community garden project
Work alongside family on shared plot. Practical soil and water management.
14:00
Conservation ethics discussion
Facilitated debate: whose land is it? Who decides how it’s protected?
19:00
Joint dinner with community
Cooked over fire, eaten together. The best meal of the week.
05:00
Pre-dawn patrol briefing
Equipment, protocol, radio procedure, safety rules. No exceptions.
05:30
Anti-poaching patrol — east sector
Foot patrol with two armed rangers. Students observe, document, learn to read the land.
10:00
Patrol debrief & report writing
Students write formal patrol reports. Real documents that enter our records.
15:00
Free afternoon
Swimming, journaling, photography. Deserved rest.
06:00
Independent research morning
Student groups execute their own mini field study. Teacher-supervised.
10:00
Well construction visit
Observe and assist with ongoing well work. Link to water science curriculum.
14:00
Research presentation prep
Groups prepare short presentations of their field study findings.
17:00
Presentations to rangers
Students present their findings to the OWA KORA team. Real audience. Real feedback.
07:00
Final dawn walk
Free tracking session. What do you notice today that you missed on Day 1?
09:00
Certificate ceremony
OWA KORA Field Rangers certificates. Signed by François and the team.
10:30
Departure to Rundu
Transfer convoy. Quieter on the way back.
After
Teacher follow-up resource pack
All field data, photos and curriculum materials sent within 5 days.

curriculum links

mapped to what you already teach.

OWA KORA education weeks are designed to support existing curriculum requirements, not replace them. Below is a subject map of the Field Rangers programme (most other programmes overlap significantly).

Biology / Life Sciences

Ecosystems & Ecology

  • Food webs and trophic levels
  • Predator-prey dynamics
  • Population monitoring methods
  • Habitat assessment
  • Water cycle and aquatic ecology
  • Species adaptation to arid environments
Geography / Earth Sciences

Physical & Human Geography

  • Arid savanna biome characteristics
  • Land use and land rights
  • Community development in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • GPS mapping and spatial data
  • Climate and weather patterns
  • Human-environment interaction
Social Studies / Ethics

Conservation & Society

  • Indigenous knowledge systems
  • Environmental ethics and justice
  • Development vs conservation debates
  • Non-profit governance and funding
  • Community participation in conservation
  • Global goals — SDG 15 (Life on Land)
Research Methods

Scientific Investigation

  • Field study design
  • Data collection protocols
  • Qualitative and quantitative methods
  • Report writing and presentation
  • Peer review basics
PSHE / Personal Development

Character & Wellbeing

  • Resilience and physical challenge
  • Group decision-making under pressure
  • Cross-cultural empathy
  • Disconnection from technology
  • Environmental identity and values
Languages & Communication

Field Communication

  • Scientific report and journal writing
  • Oral presentation to live audience
  • Active listening (community sessions)
  • Non-verbal communication in the field

Need a detailed curriculum map for your school’s specific framework? Contact our education team — we’ll prepare one for your trip proposal.


school booking calendar

available windows 2026 – 2027.

Education groups must book a minimum of 3 months in advance. Slots are limited — we host a maximum of two school groups per month to maintain programme quality.

Available Last slot Full Coming soon

school enquiry

request a programme.

Complete this form and our education team will respond within 5 working days with programme details, logistics and pricing for your group.

By submitting this form you agree to be contacted by OWA KORA Wildlife Conservation e.V. regarding your enquiry.

or email: education@owakora.org


for teachers

we make the admin easy.

We know that organising a school trip to Namibia involves substantial paperwork and stakeholder management. Our education team supports you at every step.

📄

Curriculum Map Pack

Detailed mapping of our programmes to IB, A-Level, German Abitur and GCSE frameworks. Ready to paste into your trip proposal.

Request →
📋

Risk Assessment Template

Pre-prepared risk assessment for school travel to remote Namibia, reviewed by our field team. Reduces your prep time significantly.

Request →
💶

Funding & Grant Support

We have helped schools access external funding for field trips, including Erasmus+, DFG education grants and school partner foundations.

Ask us →
📸

Pre-Trip Learning Pack

Digital resource pack sent 6 weeks before arrival: species guides, Namibia background, field journal templates and student preparation activities.

Request →
🗂️

Post-Trip Resources

All field data collected during the programme is returned in usable format. Photo archive, species count data, patrol maps — all yours to use in class.

Learn more →
📞

Direct Teacher Support

Video call with our education lead before booking to answer all questions. We have done this before — we know what schools need to say yes.

Book a call →

Your guides on the ground

François van Zyl

Field Director & Head Ranger

25 years in the Kavango-Zambezi region. Trained tracker, naturalist and educator. Your group will be safe, challenged and inspired in equal measure.

Lena Ida Kanke

Conservation Lead & Education Facilitator

Leads the curriculum-facing sessions, data analysis workshops and community visits. EcoTraining-trained, with a background bridging science communication and field work.


faq for schools

common questions.

We require a minimum of 3 months notice for school groups, and strongly recommend 6 months to allow time for preparation, parental consent processes and curriculum integration. July and August slots typically fill in January/February of the same year.

On the OWA KORA side: one ranger per 6 students, plus our education lead for all facilitated sessions. We require accompanying schools to maintain at least 1 adult per 8 students throughout the programme.

Yes — in fact we prefer it. Students with no prior context often get more from the programme because everything is genuinely new. We build knowledge from scratch and we do it in the field, not in advance.

François and at least one other team member hold wilderness first aid certification. We maintain a comprehensive first aid kit and have emergency satellite communication. The nearest hospital is in Rundu (approx. 250km). We require all groups to carry full travel and medical evacuation insurance.

Yes. The four programmes are starting frameworks, not rigid itineraries. If you need specific curriculum outcomes, different activity emphases or a particular structure, we will adapt. Contact us early in your planning process and we will co-design the week with you.

Programme fees depend on group size, duration and programme type. As a guide, the Field Rangers 7-day programme for 16 students is in the range of €2,200–2,800 per student, all-inclusive from Rundu airport. We provide a full quote within 5 days of enquiry. We also assist schools in identifying external funding to offset costs.

The conservation contribution portion of programme fees is eligible for a donation receipt (Spendenquittung) from OWA KORA Wildlife Conservation e.V. Please discuss this with our education team when booking.

All students receive an OWA KORA Field Rangers certificate. Field Studies Expedition participants receive a formal field report acknowledgement. For CPD participants, we issue a certificate of attendance documenting the hours and competencies covered, suitable for inclusion in teaching portfolios.