Agricultural science returns to Ilembe

The education department has identified Shakaskraal Secondary as most suitable to teach the subject as the school has its own farm and up until 1995 had used the land to teach the subject. Pupils will get invaluable hands-on experience working on the farm.

The school will offer the subject to grade 10 pupils and upwards. To make this possible, the department will help upgrade the school’s facilities by supplying resources and repairing the current grounds and infrastructure at the school.

Shakaskraal secondary has close to 12 acres of land. This includes the main school buildings, sports fields and an adjacent farm. The farm has a dam, a workshop, a borehole, a poultry breeding unit and large fields.

The farm was leased out when the school stopped offering agricultural science. The school will be modelled on the programmes at Landbou College in Vryheid and Weston College in Mooi River. With its current infrastructure, Shakaskraal is ready to begin with a small amount of pupils next year.

The school’s principal, Budhram Gungapursad, has visited Weston and is very impressed.
“They are very disciplined pupils and are engaged in duty. We hope our programme will lend itself to the same character building at our school,” he said.

The principal believes scientific farming is becoming ever more important with increases in food demand. Giving these pupils the chance to study agriculture will allow them to create sustainable livelihoods for themselves and the country. “There are big plans for the school in the pipeline and we are hoping that one day the school will have hostels for learners that live far away,” he said.

Enrolment is open to pupils but there are a limited number of spaces for next year’s class.