KHDA: 25% of Dubai’s private schools grow fruits, vegetables
GARDENING PROGRAMME LINKED TO GOOD ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
More than 25 per cent of Dubai’s private schools grow food, according to new statistics released by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) yesterday during the latest edition of What Works, which focused on gardening in schools as a tool to improve student learning.
Mouza Al Suwaidi, Chief of Engagement at the KHDA, said that many schools have already created their own green space and started growing fruits and vegetables successfully in school farms.
“It is inspiring to see passionate teachers sending a positive message to students and parents. Many of these learners are seeing food grow right in front of them for the first time,” she said.
Children who grow their own food are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables or express a preference for these foods according to research. Gardening has also been linked with greater student achievement in science.
‘Well read and well fed’
Inspiring schools to take up the challenge of growing their own food, Stephen Ritz, an expert on urban gardening, talked to students and teachers at the What Works event hosted by KHDA.
“Children should not have to leave their neighbourhood to live, learn and earn in a better way. In the back of my classroom, something is always growing. In order to be well read, you have to be well fed and we all need to grow healthier schools,” said Stephen.
A special workshop on urban gardening hosted at What Works helped teachers learn more about growing their own garden in small spaces.
Stephen shared his journey from being an ordinary schoolteacher to an advocate for healthier schools as he said, “It all started with seeds which transformed into farms. We ended up creating the first edible wall in New York City with the help of school students and people started taking notice. When students changed ordinary classrooms into green spaces, there was no looking back.”
Benefits
Gardening programmes have been considered particularly effective at engaging ‘non-academic learners’ and children with challenging behaviours.
Students who participated in a one-year gardening programme showed a significant increase in self-understanding and the ability to work in groups compared to non-participating students.