For Africa News: MEC to embark on school visit with the aim to revive agriculture

13 Jan 2012

The Hon MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Zoleka Capa cordially invites members of the media to join her as she will embark on school visits in a bid to revive agriculture in the schools.

The department has partnered with Mhlobo Wenene’s Khanya Gqiyazana midday show, which will donate school uniforms and other study materials while the Department will supply the schools with gardening material.

The eight schools, which were adopted by the MEC on her capacity as the Member of Parliament (MPL), will be give rakes, spades, hoes, water tanks, watering cans, wheelbarrows as well seeds and seedlings while there will be dedicated extension officers coaching both the teachers and learners.

The MEC is upbeat about the need of having each and every school in the province involved in food security as part of the Zero Hunger campaign, which aims to ensure all arable land is cultivated.

The ultimate goal of this exercise it to have schools become part of the school nutrition programme and agricultural science to become one of the careers of choice, especially among the pupils in the rural areas where agriculture is the essential vehicle of eradicating poverty and underdevelopment.

The department has made great strides in the quest to revive agricultural science in schools and several teachers are continuously being trained in order to equip them with close knowledge of the subject and close the gaps that are experienced currently, like lack of practical know-how among the teachers.

The Hon MEC feels that in order to sustain food security in the province, education and training should start at the school level and this should be realised by equipping educators with the practical and latest developments in the sector.

The department is also engaged in agricultural science road shows and summits in the province to engage pupils. Successful 4-H Clubs initiatives, which encourage and help schools to form their own gardens, have also instilled the passion of pupils in the subject.

The visits are as follows:

17 January 2012 – the MEC will visit Nceba High School in Ntabankulu and this visit will also target Ntabankulu HS, Mfundisweni HS and Gwebindlala HS all in Ntababankulu as well as Tylden School in Mt Frere.
24 January 2012 – Kwamhlontlo HS in Lady Frere
31 Januaty 2012 – JJR Jolobe High School in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth.

For more information contact:
Spokesperson Ayabulela Ngoqo
Cell: 071 6033 235 or

Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 082 494 3600

Issued by: Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform
13 Jan 2012