In the UAE, teens go green while contemplating their studies. This is proved by 'Garden Farming' concept at British International School (BIS), Ajman(UAE)

The students of the British International School (BIS), Ajman have taken up the responsibility to clean up the Earth, following their mentors' instructions both at school and at home. However, they are doing the right thing at the right time. They are really into it – Greenhouse Farming in the desert.

The students from Grade 6, the teenagers of the 700-strong student body of this young school (only just over a year) are into cultivation in their spare time.  It is soon going to  become part of BIS's curriculum.

The youngsters invest their labour in planting, growing and harvesting vegetables. They turn into businessmen and women to sell the yield at the maximum price – not in an open market – but to their parents (probably to get the highest price for their labour).  

Recent surveys showed that the teenage group is the greenest age group. However, what matters now is that a larger number of all people in all age groups try to live green when they can.

Green farming is part of the CSR activity of British International School which has formed a green garden project in the school. The green garden project allows a fully hands-on experience as students complete the cycle of seed harvesting, soil maintenance, water conservation, crop tending and rotation, harvesting of produce and selling process of the vegetables. 

Above all, kids learn environmental and nutritional lessons, leading to healthier choices and healthier lives.Every Thursday there is a harvest session conducted at the school campus. Students pick, pack and sell the organic vegetables to parents and teachers. The harvest session offers the students an opportunity to make cross-curricular learning possible: art, science, environment studies, and maths are all interconnected in this hands-on learning process. 

In the art classroom, they design and make carry bags out of old newspapers. 

In science, they learn about plants and agriculture. 

Maths helps with the weighing and pricing of produce. 

Besides the academic advantage, students also acquire social skills of dealing with people and convincing them to buy, which in itself is real-life exposure to persuasive language skills.

BIS celebrated its first Harvest Festival last Thursday. 

The school plans to hold many more events of this kind to promote real life learning experiences, giving exposure to students to recognise their inherent skills and realise their potential to the maximum.

It is the need or the hour. We need our planet with enough water and food and fresh air to survive. I hope many more schools follow BIS in this regard.

Source : BIS , The Gulf Today