The Department of Education Western Visayas (DepEd-6) is eyeing to encourage all the 20 school divisions in the region to each establish a public farm school.

This is one of the aims of the regional farm school curriculum which was launched on Wednesday by Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who in her virtual message, committed to supporting the regional project.

“I’m very happy that we are establishing farm schools and I promise that I will support this proposal because through farm schools, we provide not only for our needs physically as a people in terms of nutritious food, but also beauty because there is nothing more beautiful, I believe than a vegetable garden and a flower garden,” she said.

Briones added that by learning agriculture, lessons can be shared and passed on to learners.

“If our learners spend more time in their garden, they will know what makes plants grow, what gives a flower its spectacular color, what makes a tree bear fruit, and what makes any living thing in a garden provide us with all that we need. So lessons, whether it is in science, whether it is in literature or even in sports, can be learned through agriculture, through our garden,” she said.

The planned farm schools started with the formation of a technical working group to focus on the project on Feb. 15, 2021.

Following the launching, a simplified feasibility study will be conducted by school division offices until March 23 and the crafting of the curriculum from April 7 to 9 this year.

It is expected to be rolled out starting this August until July 2022.

Meantime, Dr. Ramir B. Uytico, regional director of DepEd-6, in his virtual message, said the launching of the project is “the call of the time”.

The curriculum was launched simultaneously with DepEd Western Visayas’ mantra “Every Child is a Champion”.

“Having in mind that the region has been claiming as the home of the champions, all of you in attendance today, including those who are watching us virtually, you are part of the journey. Because I would like to emphasize that this is not a one-man show,” he said.

Uytico added that they launched the farm schools since hunger could not produce champions.

“We need to be nourished, we need to be energized, and that we need food. That’s why having in mind the regional mantra where every child is a champion, we should think of this basic need to be provided to our students and in response to the eradication of poverty,” he said. (PNA)