Schoolboys enjoy a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)-provided hot meal of posho and beans at their school in Yambio. Photo credit: WFP

Officials from the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction met with Western Equatoria State Governor Badagbu Daniel Rimbasa to discuss a new program that brings farming into the classroom.

The delegation, led by Deputy Director for School Programs Thayien Wich Jinwang and Assistant Director Tekjwok Philip Okew, also reviewed teacher performance across the state.

The proposed “School Farming Program” aims to tackle food insecurity and keep children in school by teaching them practical agricultural skills. Jinwang noted that many students currently lack a basic understanding of how food is produced.

The initiative, already being piloted, suggests that schools set aside 15 to 20 acres of land for cultivation, establish vegetable gardens within school compounds, integrate farming activities directly into the curriculum.

Government Support Governor Rimbasa welcomed the plan, pledging to provide land and farming equipment. He emphasized that the program will improve student nutrition while teaching discipline and hands-on skills.