The school garden was adapted to the space and needs of the schools.
A working group rom the Technology and Home Economics Department of Dr. Juan G. Nolasco
High School initiated support for the “Gulayan”.
Some THE teachers bought seeds and materials for their vegetable school garden with funding
from this initiative. Additionally, they also received materials for the vegetable school garden from
parents or other gardening projects of the Bureau of Plants and Industry (BPI). Key members mentioned
that support from BPI was useful for the startup of a school garden. Furthermore, in one school, the help
of a parent was important at startup. Key members mentioned they found it important to have
information about the care of the plants which could be found in videos, books, calendars, etc.
Working in the school gardens was organized in voluntary moments at lunch break or afternoon
break and class bound moments with a fixed schedule and a rotation system per grade or class when
THE teachers worked in the school garden with the learners. Teachers reported that they tried to
integrate the fruit and vegetables theme in their classes e.g., by making soup, following the growth
process of a plant, learning about seasonal fruit and vegetables and ecological footprint. However,
teachers mentioned they spend little time on these topics , because they do not often occur in the
Some key members of the THE department reported they used the harvest in class, while others
used the harvested
vegetables in the School Feeding Program. The also suggested some possibilities to
better use the harvest, such as making jam, salad mix, and veggie candies.
Key members are responsible for the garden and indicated this was essential for its maintenance.
Generally, THE teachers who were part of the working group took responsibility and mentioned that it
could be motivating if they would receive exempt hours for this task.
Perceived Effects of Gulayan
Key members perceived some effects on knowledge about vegetables among learners who work
with the Gulayan. They mentioned that a lot of information while gardening and that working in a
vegetableschool garden is a potential means to have a first acquaintance with vegetables. Learners
themselves mentioned they get to know new vegetables, become aware of the origin of vegetables,
learn how different plants look like, what they need to grow, how to garden and how the different
Furthermore, key members perceived some effects on the attitudes of children towards vegetables:
more School Feeding Program Beneficiaries taste and eat
the vegetables when they have grown them
themselves. They also confirmed these findings by saying that they had increasing interest in eating
more vegetables by being involved in the Gulayan.
General Perceptions on Vegetable School Gardening or “Gulayan”