By Aida Aziz
Photo: Fb Yb Sandrea
SIMPANG PULAI: Growing strawberries to encourage and increase student attendance among the Orang Asli community at school every day.
This is the approach taken with the establishment of the Strawberry Garden at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pos Raya, located on the Cameron Highlands road here.
According to the Member of the State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Teja, Sandrea Ng, this is an initiative by the Orang Asli community school to improve student attendance.
In her view, this approach motivates the children to attend school every day to take care of their strawberry plants, each labeled with their own names.
“Try tasting these freshly picked red strawberries, they are very sweet.
“Do you know why this school has a strawberry garden? Is it to promote urban farming or encourage outdoor learning and experiential education?.
“Actually, no, this is an initiative by the school to improve student attendance,” she said during her visit to the school recently.
She added that while many schools in urban areas focus on improving digital facilities and introducing smart learning, there are schools still striving to foster fun and interest in learning in the simplest ways.
“Every school has its own starting point and different challenges. The important thing is that we continue moving forward and overcoming obstacles. Let’s celebrate every effort and support each other,” she said.
SK Pos Raya is a rural school located 30 kilometers from Ipoh.
The school was established in the 1970s to provide education to students from the Sema and Temiar tribes. It has since undergone numerous infrastructure improvements.
