Manchester School Garden Programme to Receive Grant from MOE

The School Garden Programme in Manchester will soon benefit from a grant of approximately $835,000 which is being made available under the agricultural and environment grant facility from the Ministry of Education.
School Garden Coordinator for Manchester, Dean Collins at a meeting of the Manchester 4-H Clubs Parish Advisory Council Meeting on February 26, explained that the grant is given annually by the Ministry of Education to primary and junior high schools to fund projects that are related to the environment or agriculture.
He said that often times the grant is not spend on what it is intended for but instead is included in the general accounts of the school.
Therefore, he said, in order to facilitate the grant been used for its appropriate purpose and the subsequent proper record keeping of the spending of the funds, the Ministry of Education is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture to extend the grant to include the School Garden Programme.
Eighteen schools in Manchester have been identified to benefit from the grant, which will vary in the amount allotted to each respective school.
He added that he will be working along with the Principal and the agricultural science teacher or 4-H Club leader on a proposal to design a project for the grant for each respective school.
“I have been working on a proposal to work with these schools to design a programme that is best suited for them. I am in the process of designing for all these schools. I will be meeting with the Principals shortly to discuss the whole proposal, so when the funds are routed they will proceed with their projects,” he said.
The schools that are to receive the grant are: Chantilly Primary, Comfort Hall All Age, Craighead All Age, Devon All Age, Harry Watch All Age, Kendal All Age, Mizpah All Age, Nazareth All Age, Pike All Age, Robins Hall All Age, Huntley All Age, Snowden All Age, Bethabara Primary and Junior High, Hatfield Primary and Junior High, Mandeville Primary and Junior High, New Forrest Primary and Junior High, New Green Primary and Junior High, and Villa Road Primary and Junior High.