The Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Julius Debrah has urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) and school heads to integrate agriculture into teaching and learning as a practical tool for skills development rather than as a form of punishment.
Speaking at St. Aquinas Senior High School on Friday, August 29, 2025, he urged the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to provide strong leadership at the institutional level to make school farms vibrant and sustainable.
“The Ghana Education Service must ensure that agriculture is woven into teaching and learning, not as punishment but as a practical tool for education. School Heads and CHASS must provide leadership at the institutional level to make the farms vibrant and sustainable.”
During the launch of the School Farm Initiative, a bold program aimed at turning schools into hubs of agriculture, innovation, and entrepreneurship, he also pointed to the importance of institutional support, highlighting the role of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) in providing financial backing and the National Service Authority in deploying trained personnel, particularly agricultural graduates, to help manage the farms.
“GETFund, as we just heard, has an important role to play in providing funding to enhance the success of this initiative. The National Service Authority, with their experience, is also expected to provide trained personnel, especially agricultural graduates, to support the management of the school farms.”
The Chief of Staff stressed that the initiative requires the collective effort of all stakeholders, urging teachers, parents, and unions including NAGRAT, NAT, and CCTGH to see it as an opportunity rather than a burden.
“Equally, this initiative cannot succeed without the full support of our teachers and parents. I therefore call on NAGRAT, NAT, CCTGH, and all teacher unions to embrace this initiative, not as an additional burden but as an opportunity to mentor students in practical skills and values that complement classroom learning.”
He further underscored the central role of teachers, parents, and students in sustaining the programme, describing their involvement as crucial to its long-term impact.
“Teachers are the center of shaping the mindset of our youth, and their commitment will determine the success of this school farm project. Parents must see school farms as an investment in their children’s future, an investment that strengthens nutrition, reduces food costs, and equips students with lifelong skills.
“With the support of PTAs, we can make this initiative successful and sustainable. To our students, this initiative is an opportunity for you to gain experimental agriculture and entrepreneurial skills, and knowledge that will not only prepare you for a future career, but also equip you to contribute to Ghana’s food security agenda.”
