The Ministry of Education has selected a school in Bahati, Nakuru County to offer pupils and farmers from across the country, agriculture training to improve their skills.
Kiamaina Primary School will be one of the training centres where other pupils from public schools will tour to learn farming best practices.
The school landed the lucrative offer after Smart Harvest published a story about their vibrant agriculture programme on June 25, 2015.
Speaking at the school after announcing the deal last week, Education Secretary Leah Rotich, accompanied by farming experts from Israel, said the Ministry spotted the story in The Standard on Saturday and they were impressed.
Just as highlighted in the story, she noted that agriculture projects in the institution had given young pupils first hand skills and knowledge in farming which will is shaping them up as future farmers.
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Ms Rotich hailed the school management and parents for support in managing the project adding that the long-term solution to food security is the knowledge imparted on young people.
“If all schools implement the same, I can assure you that issue of food security in this country would be history since they will implement the ideas at home and their neighbourhood,” she added.
She noted that in the past years, only sciences and mathematics had a learning centre but introduction of the agriculture project was a good start which will see Kiamaina become a learning centre soon.
Co-founder of the Institute of Education for Sustainability Eyal Bloch from Israel thanked Smart Harvest for highlighting the story adding that it was an eye opener for other schools.
Bloch hailed the project which he termed a success pledging that they will continue to support the school on the project.
“We will do what it takes to make sure the project makes more progress and has a larger impact in Kenya. We urge other learning institutions to emulate the school,” he added.
The school headmaster Samuel Nderitu said they intend to kick off the goat rearing project as part of extending the agriculture programme.
Mr Nderitu said they are also looking for a partnership with Kabarak University, which will be used to train pupils on how to improve the project.
“We are proposing to have a partnership with Kabarak University who will be taking us through advance training of the project. We expect it to be a world class initiative in the near future,” said Nderitu.
He said they will invest more in rabbit rearing since it attracts more interest from among pupils.
