CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Department of Education (DepEd) will strengthen the implementation of the Enhanced Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (EGPP) in public elementary and secondary schools in Central Luzon as in-person classes resumed recently.
The EGPP is among the mechanisms implemented by the government to promote and raise awareness about food insecurity in the country.
“This is one of the programs under the National Greening Program of our agency,” DepEd Regional Director May Eclar said.
The DepEd Regional Office III recently entered into a partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office III and East West Seed Foundation for the efficient and effective implementation of the EGPP though Project GAME (Gulayan para sa Aktibong Mag-aaral ng rEhiyon tatlo) which will help schools become self-reliant and self-sufficient in addressing the nutritional deficiencies of learners.
“The project also serves as an eye-opener among learners on the impact of agriculture through the EGPP-Project GAME on the people’s well-being for its nutritional value as well as its economic benefits and most importantly, as a life support system,” Eclar explained.
“Produce that can be harvested and consumed from gardens in the schools, at home and in the community can help enhance the academic performance of learners through proper nutrition,” she added.
Each school shall implement an EGPP-Project GAME by allotting at least 200 square meters for the establishment a vegetable garden with the engagement of stakeholders such as the Parent Teachers Association (PTA), national government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other entities considered significant to the implementation of the project.
“Schools with limited area may use alternative gardening methods such as container gardening, in-ground gardening, raised bed gardening, vertical gardening, hydroponic gardening, aquaponic gardening, square foot gardening, upside-down gardening, hanging gardening, and other methods whichever is appropriate for the schools,” Eclar said.
A variety of indigenous vegetables that are rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamin A and iron can be planted to address micro deficiencies such as protein-energy deficiencies, Vitamin A deficiencies, iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and iodine deficiency disorder (IDD).
The Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) consider the following indigenous vegetables as rich in vitamins and minerals: alugbati (Malabar spinach), alukon (Birch flower), katuray, kulitis (Chinese spinach), kadyos (Congo pea or pigeon pea), kalabasa (squash), labanos (radish), labong (bamboo shoots), malunggay, mustasa (mustard leaves), pako (fern), patola (silk squash), pipino (cucumber), saluyot, sayote, sigarilyas (winged bean), sitaw (string beans), talinum (Philippine spinach), talong (eggplant) and upo.
Schools may propagate other vegetables suitable for their area. Each school shall also establish a nursery / seed bank for the propagation of vegetable seedlings and fruit-bearing and forest tree seedlings to sustain the seedling requirements of the school for the whole year.
“The school may coordinate with the local agricultural office for the provision of seeds and proper guidance on the establishment of a nursery/ seed bank. If a school does not have enough space for such purpose, it may forge partnerships with the community to use vacant lots near the school for the nursery/seed bank,” Eclar added.
Of the harvested products from the EGPP-Project GAME, 60 percent shall be utilized in the school feeding program while the remaining 40 percent may be sold in the community/market as part of the income generating project of school.
The income may be utilized for the provision of ingredients for school feeding, gardening tools, seeds and other materials to sustain the project. (PIA-3)
