Hee-Yangthang School blends classroom learning with organic farming

BIJOY GURUNG

After turmeric cultivation, school students now harvesting large cardamom

GANGTOK, : Hee-Yangthang Senior Secondary School in West Sikkim is redefining classroom learning by integrating organic farming into its curriculum. As part of this unique initiative, over 350 students from primary to Class 12 are actively involved in cultivating Sikkim’s traditional cash crops turmeric and large cardamom within the school premises.

Every school day, students spend dedicated time in eight terrace plots on campus that have been converted into organic farmland. This practical approach to education aims to blend classroom knowledge with real-life skills.

Speaking with SIKKIM EXPRESS, school principal Narayan Basnet said: “Education should not be confined within classroom walls; students must learn life skills and self-reliant thinking within the school itself. That’s why we have linked farming with education.”

Established in 1941, the school has been making steady progress academically, and now stands out as a model for experiential learning and self-reliance through agriculture.

The initiative began in 2021 with organic turmeric cultivation. Using traditional methods - including ploughing with bullocks - students helped to produce around 45 kg of turmeric after two years. The crop was processed and packaged by the school and sold in local markets.

Encouraged by this success, the school next took up large cardamom as its primary farming project. The current harvest season is underway, and students can be seen joyfully plucking cardamom pods - baskets in hand, fully engaged in the process.

“We are expecting a harvest of 30 to 40 kg of large cardamom this year,” said Basnet.

Students are involved in every stage of the cultivation process from planting and weeding to applying organic manure, pest management, and harvesting. Under the guidance of teachers and support staff, they are also learning post-harvest skills such as drying and storage.

This hands-on experience, Basnet noted, is giving students valuable exposure to the agri-industry, entrepreneurship, and skill development.

Lina Lepcha, a Class 9 student, shared her excitement: “Earlier, we only read in books that cardamom is Sikkim’s main cash crop. Now, by plucking, touching, and drying it ourselves, we realize how much effort and knowledge it requires. It makes me feel that we too can do something new in our village in the future.”

Such feedback reflects the deeper purpose of the project - not just crop cultivation, but confidence cultivation.

The school’s farming initiative also emphasizes eco-conscious learning. Lessons include soil conservation, organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers, and sustainable agriculture practices. This approach has not only inspired the students but also drawn admiration from local parents and farmers.

Looking ahead, the school plans to introduce additional community-based agricultural projects such as beekeeping, vegetable cultivation, and medicinal herb farming - turning the school into a hub of applied learning and environmental awareness.

Principal Basnet highlighted that the initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasizes skill development and capacity building. We are applying the NEP in a local context through organic farming, which is both educational and relevant to our region’s needs, he said.