Students preparing to plant seedlings at Saba Comprehensive School.
SABA--Agriculture and growing fresh produce play important parts in Saba’s culture and daily life. Agriculture is also a sector which the Public Entity Saba continues to invest in. Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) is doing its part by adding an agricultural class to its curriculum for practical education.
Under the guidance of teacher Shawn Skinner, seven Pro students have been taking part in agriculture classes since January. In the garden area, the students are learning about the process of growing plants from seeds, how and when to plant seedlings, how to maintain the plants and when and how to harvest.
The students learn to grow a wide variety of produce and herbs, such as eggplant, cabbage, bell pepper, seasoning pepper, thyme, celery, kale, parsley, lettuce, carrot, Bok choy and basil.
Efficient use of water is, as always on Saba, an important aspect in this class. The garden is in an enclosed area, and while the fence stops goats from getting in, it is a challenge to keep chickens and iguanas out, said Skinner.
The idea behind the agricultural programme is that students learn about the farm-to-table concept, but it is also a part of basic life skills and about how to be self-sustainable, said SCS principal Anton Hermans. “We want to teach the students to be proud of what they grow and what they can do with the fresh produce they harvest,” he said.
Commissioner of Agriculture Rolando Wilson is enthusiastic about the agricultural programme at SCS. “This fits in the objective of the Public Entity Saba and my wish to bring agriculture into the schools. With this programme, we teach children how to grow their own fresh produce and why that is so important. My compliments to Mr. Skinner and Mr. Hermans, and to the students I say: keep up the good work.”
