June 2004
We will
never, under the present system, experience improvement in our balance
of payments and bring a halt to crime and violence—which is a scourge to
our nation—unless this country makes agriculture a priority.
Quoting a famous inspired writer: “Daily, systematic labour should
constitute a part of the education of the youth, even at this late
period. Much can now be gained by connecting labour with schools. In
following the plan, the students will realize elasticity of spirit and
vigor of thought, and will be able to accomplish more mental labour in a
given time than they could by study alone” (White, 1948 Vol. 3, p. 159;
Vol. 6, p. 180).
We need
to restructure our schools’ curriculum to include agriculture as an
integral part of the system of Education. We should teach both the
theory and practice of agriculture and bring back gardening in all the
schools throughout the country. This will enhance the schools’ feeding
programme, and we will be encouraging the nation to ‘eat Jamaican.’ This
is going to translate itself into solid nation building. “We must begin
to think, eat, and buy Jamaican.” These words I borrowed from Rev. Al
Miller in his sermon to launch the ‘year of eat Jamaican.’
I am of
the opinion that our country is so violent because we have moved away
from Agriculture, which in itself was mankind’s first lesson book, to
bring and keep our focus on God as creator. When one considers the
various processes that plants take to grow and when one looks at the
tenderness, yet the resilience of a pea shoot bursting through a tough,
almost solid surface, one has to stop and wonder where all this energy
comes from in the pea. The scientist philosophizes to say nature
provides this energy.
We seem
to have an education system that turns man to himself and to mankind’s
natural propensity to do evil. This is the cause of the chaos we are
experiencing in our society. We should begin from the Preparatory School
level to create consciousness of agriculture in our children.
We
should create a developmental approach which should go through to the
tertiary level where production should be at its best. The tertiary
institutions should also become self-sustained and self-sufficient as
far as food is concerned.
Our
system of education should begin to speak to developing a mental
approach to job creation so that instead of most of our graduates
leaving tertiary institutions to search for work, they would have
created a job of their own.
Students themselves could help revolutionize our school curriculum.
Teachers should be prepared to listen to students and be willing to work
with them to achieve their desired goals. Their ideas might enhance life
in new, positive, and different ways. This agricultural programme at all
our educational institutions should include the physical input of
faculty, staff, and students; that is the only way the programme will be
effective. The country will therefore benefit and we all will be the
recipients of a more caring, loving, peaceful, resourceful, and strong,
independent nation.
By: Eric Fullerton,
Director of Manual Arts Department
|
