Brasso RC School, Rio Claro Secondary plant winning kitchen gardens

Brasso RC Primary School, nestled along Brasso Tamana Road in the Caroni North educational district, has made an impressive mark in the 2024 Prime Minister's Best Village Trophy Competition.

In September, the school tied for first place with Rio Claro West Secondary School in the Clean and Beautify category (best kitchen garden). Both schools earned 91 points.

Guayaguayare Secondary School took third place with 90.3 points, while Rio Claro Presbyterian placed fourth with 89.3 points.

The garden project was designed to educate students about agriculture and its potential for a livelihood.

Through hands-on learning, students were introduced to planting, nurturing and harvesting various fruits and vegetables.

A representative from the Brasso RC Primary explained: "The project taught students the different steps and mechanisms in everyday gardening. They learned about different vegetable and fruit crops."

He added that the project's success was a collaborative effort, and students were taught to record sales finances to determine a profit or loss from the project.

"They were taught a step-by-step approach to gardening and caring for the crops. It took a collaborative effort from teachers, students, OJTs, cleaners and the URP workers to plant and maintain the garden," the representative told Newsday.

"Students were allowed to reap the crops and sell them to members of staff and public, which incorporated the school's curriculum of cultural transformation, which taught them entrepreneurship skills."

Each day, students from different classes took turns working in the garden. Every class was allowed to take a hands-on approach in the garden.

"Students helped to weed and mound the plants. They took notes for agricultural science. They named and labelled all gardening tools. Students were also taught to obey rules in the garden," the representative said.

In addition to the garden project, Brasso RC also focused on beautifying the school environment. The representative emphasised that not only did the school look nicer, but the project also instilled a sense of pride in the students' showcasing their creativity through their work.

The project taught students about the diverse floral plants available in the country and how they can be used to beautify the environment.

"The students also created artwork which further embellished the school's environment. They painted pots for planting the flowers. They also painted the benches under the almond tree seating area to portray a message of love and peace," the representative said.

"Concrete ornaments were placed to further garnish the area. The plants were taken from the green shed and transplanted into the painted pots. They were watered and pruned by the students."

While Brasso RC Primary School had previously participated in the Folk Song and Folk and Food Fair sections of the competition, this year marked their debut in the kitchen garden category.

The Prime Minister's Best Village Trophy Competition falls under the purview of the Sports and Community Development Ministry and celebrates TT's rich cultural heritage.

This annual event showcases local talent in areas such as traditional dance, music, drama, and craft.

This year marks the 61st anniversary, with the theme The Future is Folk.