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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
TSHOLOTSHO High School has cut its expenditure by 80 percent due to successful agricultural ventures that the institution has embarked on as it implements Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate-proof farming programme.

The boarding school which used to buy most of its vegetables, has transformed its garden and started mass production for self-sustenance.

The school is irrigating produce such as cabbages, onions, tomatoes and maize. The learning institution is creating a green belt within the institution and has become a shining example for other schools in the province.

The school has been able to upgrade its infrastructure and will improve on its vehicle fleet due to the money it saved through its programme.

It is also involved in a poultry project at a small scale after an outbreak of a disease killed many chickens.
The school’s successful agricultural projects have enabled the school to direct some of the resources it used to spend on buying food to infrastructural development.

A Chronicle news crew visited the school recently and observed some of the projects that are being implemented.

The school pupils and staff are already enjoying green mealies cultivated under irrigation.

The school has completed preparing to plant under Pfumvudza/Intwasa this cropping season.

The news crew observed some of the pupils as they conducted practical lessons in the field.

Speaking during the tour of the school garden, the headmaster Mr Sicelo Dube, said when schools were closed for a prolonged period, the school decided to increase production at its garden.

He said the school is now reaping the benefits of scaling up agriculture production.

“Now it’s assisting us because we produced more than three tonnes of onions and as such since we opened we have never bought onions. We were spending about $ 4 000 a week on onions.

We also had enough cabbages until last week when we ran out. We spend $8 000 on cabbages every week and this is the money we were saving every week. We also have been saving on tomatoes, we had a lot of tomatoes, we sold a few and it cut our expenses in the dining hall by more than 80 percent,” said Mr Dube.

He said the school has been able to upgrade its infrastructure and will improve on its vehicle fleet due to the money it saved through its agricultural projects.

“We intend to buy an Isuzu truck and we have made all the logistics and the money we have now is almost 95 percent of what is required. We have also been able to extend the Form One boys’ dormitories,” he said.
Mr Dube said what they are doing as a school is in line with competence-based education curriculum as it teaches learners to be resourceful and skilled at the same time.

“The learners will take these skills home. We have a number of learners who passed through here who are now into agriculture,” said Mr Dube.

He however, said there is a need to improve the school’s water supplies to enable them to increase hectarage under irrigation.

Mr Dube said last month he hosted other school heads who wanted to learn more about the competence-based education curriculum the school had introduced.

Tsholotsho High School agriculture teacher, Mr Zibuse Ncube said through practical lessons pupils acquired agricultural skills they will use even after school.  — @nqotshili.