Gayaza High School to become a center of agri-tourism

By Jacquiline Emodek                      

In a bid to provide a holistic education and produce job creators instead of job seekers, Gayaza High School has taken a path to become a center for agri-tourism.

On Saturday the school opened its gates to about 300 parents, friends and old girls to participate in an agri-tourism tour on its premises.

Gayaza High School sits on 92 acres of land with a greater part being covered by a farm that comprises a natural forest, shrubs and livestock.

The Saturday tour that lasted four hours started with participants being divided into four groups. 

The trek commenced with a visit to the ethno-botanical (herbal) garden, and then proceeded to the bamboo campsite. This was an appropriate break and snack time where participants were given roasted maize, roasted meat and chicken.

Participants also visited the students’ gardens, the dairy farm, poultry brooders and the piggery section.

According to Ronald Ddungu, the school’s deputy head teacher, Gayaza hopes to enhance this natural environment so as to become a home for tourists.

“We are calling on all experts to help with the plantation and planning of the bamboo campsite and the ethno botanical gardens so that these areas can be used for art classes and leisure,” he said.

Ddungu, the brains behind the agri-tourism venture hopes that such an environment will enable students to learn more about their surroundings thereby transforming from a mentality of a theory-based education.

Rebecca Ssabaganzi the chairperson of the Parents and Teachers Association of Gayaza High school who was among the first tourists said the agri-tourism center would produce girls that are suitable for the country’s job market.

“Uganda is an agro-based country so with farming ideas at the tips of their fingers the girls will easily be placed in society,” she said.

She added that the agri-tourism center would not only benefit the students, but the parents and teachers as well.

“The students will learn the science behind the plants which they will share with their parents and teachers as well through feedback so the effect is in a triangular manner,” Ssabaganzi said.

Indeed the effect is three fold; Tracy Lawino a student in Senior Five said with their experience on the farm she had learnt how to tend to different crops.

“We have a small garden at home, however, I was not well versed with tending to bananas, but now I know that a young banana (three months old) needs 10 litres of water a week while a mature banana needs about 15 litres,” she explained.

Pearl Ayebare, a Senior Two student who runs “Tusonge”, a rabbit project in the school says she has learnt her rabbits have to be fed thrice a day.

“I feed them on potato leaves and they should be kept in a well-ventilated shed,” she says.

Marble Nalwanga Kizito, also a Senior Two student says she has learnt of the benefits of bucket feeding in Dairy farming.

“With bucket feeding, you are sure of what the calf is taking, it is also well-rested because it does not have to move around looking for food,” she adds.

Currently the school has different classes engaged in the different types of agriculture.

“Senior One students engage in horticulture, Senior Two - Diary farming, Senior Three - kroiler brooding while Senior Five students have a banana plantation to mind,” Brian Kibirige the farm manager explained.