Agriculture and the Environment in Secondary Education in the Philippines: The University of the Philippines Rural High School Experience

In a developing country like the Philippines, it is important to understand the challenges involved in feeding a rapidly increasing population and dealing with environmental concerns, and it is vital to include agriculture and environmental education in the basic curriculum. Agriculture, industrial arts, and entrepreneurship are included in the secondary curriculum of both public and private schools, as prescribed by the Philippine Department of Education, and topics related to the environment are required to be integrated into different subjects being taught in these schools. The University of the Philippines Rural High School (UPRHS), one of the basic education units of the University of the Philippines (UP), was originally established as a vocational agricultural school. Historical events as well as outstanding developments in the UP College of Agriculture (now UP Los Banos) led to the evolution of UPRHS from a vocational school to a science-oriented college preparatory high school. The school continues to offer agriculture as one of the major subjects for all grade levels. The students are encouraged to undertake research projects addressing agricultural and environmental issues. In support of its science and agriculture programs, the UPRHS maintains a strong connection with UP Los Banos and other nearby research institutions. The school also sends participants each year to the Asian Agricultural High School Student Exchange Program sponsored by Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The UPRHS aims to popularize its agriculture and environment-related programs through academic requirements, co-curricular activities, and community-based involvement.