Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Aug 27: In spite of adversities in the form of coronavirus infection, Suribail upgraded model higher primary school in Kolnadu village created a record of sorts by growing a vegetable garden in a part of its courtyard where over 25 kinds of vegetables have been cultivated.

Every year, the students of the school, with the support of the school development and monitoring committee (SDMC) and teachers, used to raise vegetables, pineapple, areca nut and banana in the courtyard of the school. This time, however, the students have stayed back in their homes, because of the coronavirus pandemic. Still, the school development committee led by president S A Abubakker and headmaster Gopal S, with the support of committee members, teachers and locals, raised over 25 vegetables. The seeds were sown in June and the vegetables are ready to be harvested now.

In 25 cents land of the school, lentils, red okra, white okra, bottle gourd, snake gourd, ash gourd, pumpkin, amaranth, tapioca, sweet potato, cucumber, sambar cucumber, bitter gourd, ginger, turmeric, banana, pineapple, tomato etc have been grown in the garden. In the past, these vegetables were used to prepare midday meals. As the children are not attending school, these vegetables have been kept in a nearby shop in the form of deposit. When school reopens, the shop will provide vegetables for the mid-day meal. From the areca nut plantation of the school spread over 1.5 acres, the school earns an income of Rs 1.8 lac annually.

SDMC president S M Abubakker said that because the school holidays are on, the vegetables grown here are deposited in a shop and once school reopens, the shopkeeper will provide fresh vegetables for the mid-day meal programme. Headmaster Gopal S, says that the SDMC members and villagers extend total support to the school and therefore the school has been able to progress very well. He said that vegetables and gardens are grown to teach the children to love nature and agriculture.