SCHOOLS have been urged to use land productively and take agriculture seriously as one of the key commercial activities for their benefit and that of the country.
Speaking at the Agriculture Education Curriculum and Skills Enhancement Programme (AECASEP) for Matobo District on Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said the education sector had an important role to play in the development of agriculture.
“The education curriculum has got agriculture as a key subject that should run through our school system and it is born out of the recognition of agriculture’s importance to the economy of this country. It is central to the economic development of this country and the education sector has a very important role in to play in educating the nation on productive agricultural practices that sustain the communities and drive the economy,” he said.
Deputy Minister Moyo who is also Matobo North Member of Parliament urged schools in Matobo to do horticultural products which could be exported to bring foreign currency into the country. He said the Government has come up with roadmaps towards economic recovery and they were all emphasising the role of agriculture.
“The country should be a net exporter of agricultural products. Government has rolled out the borehole drilling programme in schools and these aid in the efficiency of agriculture in our schools.”
Primary and Secondary Education deputy Minister Edgar Moyo
He urged transparency in the handling of agricultural produce at schools saying it should not for certain individuals but should benefit the school. Deputy Minister Moyo said schools should revisit their commercial activity plans and consider partnerships and joint ventures with private players.
He emphasised that pupils should not be used as labourers, but should visit the school gardens or fields to learn and acquire more knowledge, urging schools to employ people to do most of the work.
Matobo District Schools Inspector (DSI) Mr Headman Mpofu said Government had made deliberate attempts to ensure that all learners in the school system received adequate knowledge and skill in agriculture. He said schools were given adequate land to do production activities.
“As Ministry of Primary and Secondary we are partnering with Green Afrique Technologies in a deliberate attempt to respond to the calls of President Mnangagwa of private partnerships in education for the national development agenda. The programme seeks to stimulate a robust grassroot level response to the nation building philosophy of nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo, leaving no place and no one behind. It will create a new generation of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs among the learners,” said Mr Mpofu.
Green Afrique Technologies’ chief executive officer (CEO), Reverend Anglistone Sibanda said they were partnering with Government to ensure measures to stimulate agricultural production under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) are fulfilled.
He said farmers play an integral part in the economic trajectory that is being championed by Government and engaging them at grassroot level would ensure that they are assisted to take farming as a business and adopt smart technologies. AECASEP is meant to develop a relevant, innovative, responsive, proactive, vibrant, robust, effective and efficient agrarian human capital for driving Vision 2030. – Sunday News
