Dubai: More than 25 per cent of Dubai’s private schools grow food, according to new statistics released by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) on Monday during the latest edition of What Works, which focused on gardening in schools as a tool to improve student learning.
Mouza Al Suwaidi, Chief of Engagement at the KHDA, said that many schools in Dubai have already created their own green space and started growing fruits and vegetables successfully in school farms.
“It is inspiring to see passionate teachers sending a positive message to students and parents. Many of these learners are seeing food grow right in front of them for the first time,” she said.
Children who grow their own food are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables or express a preference for these foods according to research. Gardening has also been linked with greater student achievement in science.
Inspiring schools to take up the challenge of growing their own food, Stephen Ritz, an expert on urban gardening, talked to students and teachers at the What Works event hosted by KHDA.
“Children should not have to leave their neighbourhood to live, learn and earn in a better way. In the back of my classroom, something is always growing. In order to be well read, you have to be well fed and we all need to grow healthier schools,” said Stephen.
A special workshop on urban gardening hosted at What Works helped teachers learn more about growing their own garden in small spaces.
Stephen shared his journey from being an ordinary schoolteacher to an advocate for healthier schools as he said, “It all started with seeds which transformed into farms. We ended up creating the first edible wall in New York City with the help of school students and people started taking notice. When students changed ordinary classrooms into green spaces, there was no looking back.”
Gardening programmes have been considered particularly effective at engaging ‘non-academic learners’ and children with challenging behaviours.
Students who participated in a one-year gardening programme showed a significant increase in self-understanding and the ability to work in groups compared to non-participating students. What Works SteAm (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) also showcased successful student projects.
Box Item 1
How gardening initiatives are implemented in Dubai schools:
Depending on the school, gardening initiatives are either extra-curricular programmes or fully integrated with the curriculum through science and entrepreneurship. Many initiatives are student-led in Dubai schools. Gardening initiatives involve students of all school grades (KG-12)
Box Item 2
Dubai schools that have urban gardening projects
1 GEMS Our Own Indian School (Al Quoz)
2 GEMS Our Own English High School (Al Warqa’a)
3 DESS
4 Horizon International School
5 Ranches Primary
6 Oxford School
7 GEMS Metropole
9 Dubai Modern Education School
10 DIA
11 Arab Unity School/Primary
13 Cambridge International School
14 Little Flowers
15 Kings Dubai
16 Gulf Indian High School
17 Al Salam
18 Apple International
19 ASD
20 Philadelphia
21 Al Mawaqeb
23 Pristine Private School
24 Buds
25 Al Sadiq School
26 GEMS WSO
27 Al Shourq
28 GEMS International School Al Khail
29 Al Diyafah
30 Sharjah American International School
31 The Private Religious Institute
32 American Academy Al Mihzar
33 Towheed Iranian School
34 The Central School of Dubai
35 Ambassador KG
36 French School
37 DESC
38 School Of Modern Skills
Schools that are interested in starting urban gardening projects or have just started
39 Raffles World Academy
40 GEMS new millennium
41 The Indian High School
42 GEMS Metropole
43 The School of Research Science
44 Al Maaref
45 Dubai British School Jumeirah Park
