Encouraging her students to “eat what they grow” is one of the main priorities for Principal of the L’Etoile Du Matin Préscolaire (The Morning Star Preschool), Miss Georgette Deravairere.
Miss Deravairere, who spoke to Dominica News Online (DNO) this week, shared some of her students’ experience and journey in planting, growing, and harvesting various vegetables, including beets, cucumber, celery, lettuce, and tomatoes grown in the school’s backyard.
Understanding where the food they eat comes from is “very important” and making sure a child is eating healthily is one of her main goals, said the educator.
According to Miss Deravairere, the school started this initiative six years ago.
She said also that at its new location in Church Lane, Goodwill there is a lot more space to grow vegetables.
Furthermore, she posited that at the Morning Star Preschool fostering agriculture is part of the development of the holistic child.
“Agriculture in the Early Childhood Education stage is of paramount importance of the developing milestones of every child, for a healthy mind is a balanced child,” she stated.
She further noted that children learn to love nature, be more responsible, and their self-confidence is boosted by this approach.
In alignment with these values, Deravairere encourages schools across the island and the world, especially at the early childhood stage to introduce backyard gardening as part of their learning development.
For her part, Deravairere stated that agriculture continues to be part of the school’s educational pillar and revealed that there are plans to grow even more vegetables in the near future.