Kitchen Garden Project (Pariong Presbytery Higher Secondary School, Pariong)
Our school while seeking assistance from the Village Community and the Block Development Officer in turning a vacant area behind the school into a Kitchen Garden. At almost the same time we found a guideline from MHRD and useful ideas from SCSTE being one of the Eco Club Schools. In collaborating with these departments, the village durbar, under MNREG Scheme constructed a Kitchen Garden in the school compound and no we have our own.
We are entrusted as in charges to guide the students in maintaining the Kitchen Garden. When we teach children about gardening and made aware of the benefits of seasonal vegetables, we realised that they already have a good knowledge about gardening being from cultivators’ family themselves. Kitchen Garden help develop among children the skill of growing own vegetables and fruits in schools and homes, improve nutrition in schools, inculcating habits among children in an era or rapid environmental issues. It is a great way to teach children about where their food comes from and to get them excited about eating fresh vegetables. It is also an opportunity to learn outdoors, to create the dignity of labours and responsibility in children. Learning in Kitchen Garden is a great way to build ties between children with teachers, parents and the community.
We arrange students for Garden care during summer. The product from the kitchen gardens was utilised for the midday meal served in school. In the previous year, we planted cabbage which lasted until December. This year we planted beans. It’s interesting to see their faces when they start eating the vegetables planted by themselves. Some of them did not like eating vegetables at home but they enjoy eating along with friends in school and for the simple reason that it’s the product of their own hard work.
