28/09/2026
Cultivating Knowledge and Green Thumbs: Caragasan NHS Students Harvest Bountiful Crops under DepEd’s Gulayan sa Paaralan Project
ALFONSO LISTA, IFUGAO— Proving that true learning extends far beyond the four corners of the classroom, students and faculty of Caragasan National High School (CNHS) traded their pens for trowels today, September 28, 2026, as they successfully harvested a fresh bounty of organic vegetables from their school grounds.
The vibrant harvest celebration marks a major milestone for the school’s implementation of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) enduring Gulayan sa Paaralan Project (GPP). The initiative transforms campus patches into productive green spaces, serving as a living laboratory for student-centered agriculture and nutrition education.
Learning by Doing: Theory Meets Practice
True to the DepEd standard of "Learning by Doing", the day’s activity was the culmination of weeks of active student participation. Under the guidance of their agriculture and TLE (Technology and Livelihood Education) teachers, students took charge of the garden’s lifecycle—from soil preparation, seed sowing, and organic fertilizer management to weeding and daily crop monitoring.
The baskets overflowed with lush eggplants, crisp okra, leafy pechay, and mistards, showcasing the rewards of consistent care and scientific application.
"This isn't just about growing vegetables; it’s about growing competent learners," shared one of the supervising teachers. "When students physically measure soil pH, space out plant beds mathematically, and study plant pathology firsthand, textbook theories finally come alive."
Strengthening Agriculture-Related Subjects
The school garden serves as a practical, open-air workshop that directly reinforces lessons in Science, TLE, and Agri-Fishery Arts. Concepts such as plant biology, ecosystem balance, pest management, and sustainable agriculture are no longer abstract ideas found in modules, but real-world challenges that students solve together.
Furthermore, the project instills core values of hard work, patience, environmental stewardship, and self-reliance. By experiencing the direct correlation between labor and harvest, learners gain a profound respect for the agricultural sector and local farming communities.
Sustaining Nutrition and Food Security
True to the core objectives of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Project, a significant portion of today's harvest has been earmarked to directly support the school’s feeding programs, ensuring that students benefit from fresh, nutrient-rich meals that boost both physical health and cognitive performance in class. Surplus produce is also shared to promote community engagement and healthy home-gardening practices.
As the morning sun settled over Caragasan NHS, dirt-smudged faces beamed with pride. Today's successful harvest stands as a testament to the fact that when education is rooted in practical application, students reap what they sow—both literally and figuratively.