THE Linepath Secondary School at Skeldon is now better equipped to have its students write Agricultural Science at the level of the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC).

This is due to a partnership with the non-governmental organisations Food for the Poor [FFTP] Guyana Inc. and St Francis Community Developers (SFCD), which has resulted in the donation of a mechanical tiller and a water pump. At a simple handing-over ceremony, President of SFCD, Mr. Alex Foster, speaking at the organisation’s Headquarters at Port Mourant, said that as a result of collaboration between SFCD and FFP, it is expected that a model agricultural farm would be created.

Consequently, the Skeldon Linepath Secondary School is expected to be on site for the Upper Corentyne-based multipurpose farm.

“With the commitment from Skeldon Linepath Secondary, we hope that similar processes which are taking place at villages along the Corentyne Coastline, such as Limlair and Port Mourant, along with the Berbice township of New Amsterdam, a comparable project would be started in the Upper Corentyne area following the presentation of the mechanical tiller and a water pump.”

Three multipurpose farms are currently being developed in the East Berbice/Corentyne Region.
According to Foster, a farm is being developed at Limlair Village, which will attract students from Central Corentyne locations; another is to be built at Port Mourant for learning institutions within the Lower Corentyne district; and another in New Amsterdam for schools within the New Amsterdam/East Canje district.

“By the next two months, the first phase of the project will be completed, resulting in a tilapia farm, a greenhouse and the shade house…,” he said.
Foster noted that the Line Path Secondary was chosen because it has the capacity, human resource and the land space to develop a multi-purpose farm.

The SFCD President expressed optimism that when the farm is developed, by the end of 2014, the following year can be a very transformative year for the Upper Corentyne area as it relates to students who are preparing for their examinations and also their livelihood.

“It is my privilege, on behalf of the Board of Directors, to be making a presentation to the Skeldon Linepath Secondary, which will help to enhance the developmental trust at the school and to assist the school with their agricultural practical, owing to the fact that the school lies in a community that is mainly agricultural in nature.”

He said the FFP can develop in the young minds a love for agriculture, because it would lead to enhanced skills and thus an improved standard of living for all.

In thanking FFP, Head of the school, Yvett Johnson, said she was elated to be the recipient of the agricultural equipment.

“This donation will greatly help us to enhance agriculture in our school, especially the practical aspect of the subject,” she said, as she vowed to care the equipment.

Education Officer (Secondary) Mr. Claude Johnson, speaking at the same function, noted that agriculture science is one of the major programmes in the school system. “Agriculture should be put on the front burner; and the fact that we can have schools being recipients of this kind of support is really a step in the right direction,” he said.

The Skeldon Line Path Secondary, which months ago had attracted a low entrance score at the National Grade Six Examinations, has been upgraded to Grade A status following its exceptional performance at the 2013-released Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examinations.

Region 6 top CSEC performers [2013], Kelvin Tekram and his best friend Kishan Ramesh, both of Skeldon Line Path Secondary School, had each achieved twelve Grade Ones and two Grade Twos.

Earlier, Headmistress Yvette Johnson had reported that 117 students had amassed an overall 74.8% passes in Grades One to Three, while 63.2% and 50.4% received passes in English Language and Mathematics respectively. However, Agriculture Science was never on the school’s curriculum.