Pupils encouraged to study agriculture as farming equipment is donated to Free State school

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says agricultural skills play a big role in terms of food security. Motshekga was speaking at an event to hand over Agricultural equipment to three Agricultural schools in the Free State.

The donation from South Korea was delivered at Trio High School in Kroonstad. Motshekga was accompanied by Free State MEC for Education Tate Makgoe and the South Korean ambassador to South Africa Chull-joo Park.

The Minister has encouraged other learners to study agriculture.

“Food is one of the basic, basic needs, basic to the core. So agriculture, agricultural skills plays a big role in terms of food security, in terms of economic empowerment, in terms of development, so it’s key in many respects, so it’s a developmental, health, physically, financially but also it’s a basic need”.

@DBE_SA Minister Motshekga receiving today donation to support schools of specialisation as part of the increasing subjects in the curriculum. Thanks to industry support for ensuring the expansion of schools of skills through curriculum innovation. Trio High School, Kroonstad. pic.twitter.com/iz4wBJV35B

— Elijah Mhlanga (@ElijahMhlanga) January 14, 2022

Agricultural Science learners at Trio High School in Kroonstad say their love for farming has inspired them to study Agriculture.

“I grew up on a farm, and I’d love to farm. It’s my passion, I enjoy it a lot and Trio has just shown me a bit for the subject of agriculture we can take here, to help me even more and learn a lot more about agriculture.”

A guided tour of Trio Farm, getting a demonstration of the Agricultural machinery donated by the South Korean Embassy.#AgriculturalSchools @DBE_SA @Kagiso_Trust @MyKamva @TheCurriculumZA @OFMNews9497 @BfnCourant pic.twitter.com/1FzJQhEd9O

— MEC Tate Makgoe (@MECTateMakgoe) January 14, 2022

South Korean ambassador to South Africa Chull-joo Park says acquiring agricultural skills could bring solutions to youth unemployment in South Africa.

“Throughout the world, representatives of Korea have this kind of a program of cooperation with development ministries, and we think South Africa has a lot of potential in agricultural sector and then that is the kind of area that we utilized for economic development and also it can be a possible solution to the youth unemployment issue, so that is the main reason why we have cooperation with the Ministry of Basic Education in the sector of agriculture.”

Farm children from Oudtshoorn prepared for life in high school