Agri. Ministry donates planting materials, broiler chicks to North G/Town Secondary School

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Wednesday, donated a number of planting materials and broiler chicks to the Agriculture Science Department of the North Georgetown Secondary School (NGSS).

The donation was made after the head of the agriculture science department wrote to the ministry, requesting assistance with materials for students preparing for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination in 2022 and 2023.

Minister Mustapha said it is important for young people to be involved in agriculture. He said the ministry will continue to make resources available to schools desirous of expanding their agriculture science department. 

“When I received the request from the school, I was delighted to know that the school was involved in agriculture. Quite often, youths believe that agriculture is a minimal job that is only for the mature population. I am happy that the students and teacher are interested in developing the school’s agriculture department and I am optimistic that the interest displayed by the students and teacher will allow them to excel and move on to further develop the sector in this country. Here in Guyana, every day our agriculture sector is expanding and as a government, we are putting more resources so that development can continue to take place,” Minister Mustapha said.

The minister said an extension officer will offer technical support to students who have to do practical exercises for their School-Based Assessments (SBAs) in the leadup to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Wednesday’s donation included 256 cabbage seedlings, 256 celery seedlings, 128 lettuce seedlings, 128 tomato seedlings, and 50 broiler chicks with feed.

Additionally, Minister Mustapha said the ministry will also be donating carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower seeds and seedlings, along with a shadehouse to further enhance the potential of the school’s agriculture science department.

Head of the school’s agriculture science department, Benjettan Osborne said students are often left to bear the cost of materials to complete the practical aspect of their SBAs, which most of them are finding difficult, due to the financial pressures faced by their parents because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Students would usually have to pool money in order to get things done like to buy seedlings, to buy birds, to buy feed, to buy everything as it relates to getting their practical done. This donation will help to alleviate that. Remember we are in a pandemic, and we know a lot of parents cannot afford extra expenses. This donation will help to minimiSe the financial strain on students, as it relates to doing the practical aspect of SBAs because it is a lot of work,” the teacher noted.

Minister Mustapha said too that the ministry will offer support to other schools across the country to assist with developing the practical aspect of the agriculture science curriculum.

In the early part of next year, the ministry is expected to launch a programme targeting schools with active agriculture science departments. The programme will see schools benefiting from shadehouses, tools, and planting materials for both traditional and non-traditional crops like broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower, as well as poultry. NAREI will also be offering soil analyses to schools as part of the programme.