“Share your heart with companion plants, I love the agricultural experience at Neulbom School”

The Rural Development Administration (RDA) (Administrator Kwon Jae-han) announced that it is developing and piloting a quality agricultural experience program in line with the ‘Neulbom School’ policy in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

Neulbom School is a comprehensive educational program* that helps students grow and develop by linking various educational resources in schools and local communities outside of regular classes, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and each ministry.

• This is a single system that integrates and improves the existing after-school and care programs at elementary schools. The Rural Development Administration developed a program that links agricultural experience activities and Neulbom School, and in collaboration with the Chungnam Office of Education, piloted it at one elementary school in the Cheonan area in the second semester of 2023. As a result, the satisfaction of the students who participated in the program was high, and the school also evaluated it positively, so the model was spread nationwide. The number of schools operating the Neulbom School program based on agricultural experience increased from one school in Chungnam last year to 51 schools in six cities and provinces, including Gyeonggi and Seoul, this year. Next year, it will be expanded to 17 cities and provinces, and customized programs that reflect the characteristics and diversity of each region will be developed and supported so that they can be operated smoothly at schools. In relation to this, Rural Development Administration Administrator Kwon Jae-han and Ministry of Education Vice Minister Kim Young-gon visited Namil Elementary School in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do on November 28 to observe the Neulbom School program, ‘Expressing My Emotions with Companion Plants.’ This program was developed by the National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, with a focus on improving students’ empathy and consideration skills. Namil Elementary School Principal Choi Nam-hee evaluated, “As a result of conducting the agricultural experience program at Neulbom School, the students’ emotional stability improved noticeably, and at the same time, the students’ self-confidence increased as they demonstrated their potential, which had a clear positive effect, and received good responses from parents and students.” In order to discover and expand Neulbom School agricultural experience programs, the Rural Development Administration held the ‘2024 Neulbom Customized Agricultural Experience Program Competition’ on November 13 and selected 8 excellent programs*. They plan to promote them so that they can be used in educational settings in the future. *△Target: Gangwon Cheorwon Bongine <Mulberry Trees Are Amazing> △Grand Prize: Chungbuk Boeun Culture Charging Station Garammoe <Ecological and Artistic Journey to Garammoe>, Daegu Farm Dawon <Planting Green Dreams with Succulents> △Excellence Prize: Gyeonggi Icheon Masil Co., Ltd. Agricultural Corporation <Let’s Play with Rice>, Jeollabuk-do Wanju Dream Garden Healing Farm <Growing Seeds, Blooming Emotions> △Encouragement Prize: Jeollanam-do Muan Jay Love Farm <I Want to Know About Agriculture and Rural Areas>, Gyeongbuk Yeongju Agricultural Corporation Berry Velvet <Strawberry Exploration with Creative Science>, Gyeongbuk Miryang Sook Ahjeossi Insect Education Farm <The Amazing World of Insects and Reptiles> In addition, the Ministry of Education plans to operate a promotion hall for agricultural experience programs at the ‘2024 Neulbom School and Education Donation Fair (12.13~12.15.)’ hosted by the Ministry of Education, and introduce excellent programs and the positive effects of agricultural experiences. During the fair, students, parents, and education officials who visit the site will also be provided with an opportunity to experience the program. Kwon Jae-han, the head of the Rural Development Administration, said, “I think it is very meaningful that the agricultural and rural programs are receiving positive responses from students participating in the Neulbom School.” He added, “I expect that Neulbom School will be an opportunity to inform and spread the positive values ​​of agriculture and rural areas to future generations.” He added, “We plan to discover and expand Neulbom School programs by utilizing tangible and intangible agricultural and rural resources specialized in each region, and also support the training of professional instructors.”

Vice Minister of Education Kim Young-gon said, “I would like to thank the Rural Development Administration and the school for preparing a beneficial program that allowed students to learn about rural areas and agriculture, and even learn the importance of nature.” He added, “The Ministry of Education will spare no effort to support Neulbom School by cooperating with relevant ministries and education offices so that it can operate more diverse programs.”

Editor. Hong Se-yeong