A school located in a village in Karnataka’s Mangaluru district has introduced agricultural science as a compulsory subject for classes V to X in the current academic session. Students of Sharada Vidyanikethana Public School were asked to grow vegetables on 3.5 acres on the campus.
Inspired by the response, the school is now planning to expand the agricultural activity on another 5 acres and this time their focus will be on perennial crops and tubers.
Practical Training
President of Sharada Group of Institutions, Mangaluru, MB Puranik said that the school will provide practical training on cultivation of perennial crops and tubers, together with vegetables, from the next academic year. He said this will help the children learn and understand cultivation of crops in an organized way.
He further said crops like sweet potato, tapioca and elephant-foot yam and several perennial crops such as papaya and banana would be grown in the 5-acre campus.
Puranik told that the parents of students are also happy with the addition of agricultural science in school syllabus. Moreover students have also given serious thought for the new subject. Terming assessment of students as an ongoing process in this subject, Puranik said they are given projects based on their practical field experience.
Farm Projects
He further told that said students had planted amaranthus that came under fungal attack. Tomato plants on the field had also experienced insect attacks hence students were given an assignment to study the reasons behind these problems. Projects like this help them learn about plant diseases in a better way.
Discarding the use of synthetic fertilizers, he said the school is making best use of organic wastes for preparation of compost and vermi-compost to be used as manure.
Selling & Marketing
Regarding crop selling and marketing, Puranik said that around 100 families of staff members stay inside the school campus. They purchase these fresh produce.
He also told that children are taught right from seed conservation to crop cultivation and protection, till marketing.
