The effect of donors in school gardening program

The perceptions of teachers on the roles of donors in gardening projects were evaluated. Data from Germany received a score of 70% donations. Teachers in Nigeria reported 27% donation and U.S. reported 80%. Result indicates that teachers in the U.S. and in Germany had favorable donations in support of gardening activities in comparison to Nigeria. In the U.S, some teachers claimed to have received support from farm bureau and community philanthropic organisations. It was reported that an amount of $500.00 to $1000.00 is received yearly from Farm Bureau. Some of the schools do get additional fund to purchase equipment and land for farming or gardening.

Figure 4.4.13: Teachers’ analysis of donation towards gardening projects

Note: Calculations assume test score was based on Duncan mean distribution.

Distribution Level of Satisfaction - Means of Coded Values (5=VS…1=VD).

Data followed by Unequal Letters are Significantly Different (p≤0.05;

teacher’s t-test, s²=3.3)

In order to support teachers’ responses on funding, Figure 4.4.14 is a sample cheque of two hundred and seven thousand five hundred Dollars ($207, 500.00) donated to support the Future Farmers of America (FFA) in a school in the State of

3.80 a 3.90 a

2.18 b

3.80 a

Arkansas by a family support group. The cheque was issued to the school on the 4^th of December 2006 for the purchase of land and farm equipment. Despite the monetary contributions to some of the schools in the U.S., teachers complain of insufficient fund to embark on intensive gardening projects. They apportioned blame to community members and parents for not giving maximum support to schools in their various communities.

Figure 4.4.14: Sample of cheque containing the amount donated to a school

Teachers in Waldorf Schools in Germany agreed that funding of gardening projects has been a problem for most institutions. It was further stated that, as private schools, most of their funding comes from the schools. Some teachers claimed that they sometimes get tools and input from the school community member and parents.

The teachers reported that they are paid from the schools ‘budget and that sometimes, the schools do not have sufficient fund to establish large gardening projects. It was however, registered that the schools sometimes get financial support from the state coupled with the students’ fees, but due to line up programs in the schools, the amount generated or obtained are not enough for extra programs like gardening. It was further reported that the money would have been

Postal code

Signed by:

Cheque sample

the largest amount to embark on intensive gardening program; unfortunately, the schools have to rely on the students fees to keep the institution running. Teacher asserted that inadequate funding has contributed to less concentration of the intensification of gardening programs which has been the problem of gardening till date. It was explained that gardening projects enacts a certain budget (€2000.00) that is appropriate from the schools yearly for the continuation of gardening projects. The teacher also explained that if the amount needed to execute the project exceeds the demanded cost from the school, certain amount is requested from other sources to ensure the success of the project. In addition, the teacher mentioned that there are several foundations in Germany that support environmental activities like school gardening programs. An example of old fruit tree species and water experience playground in Flensburg that was sponsored by one of the foundations in Germany was cited. It was also reported that income is sometimes generated from the self produce such as herbal creams, Christmas decoration tress and food products such as marmalade, honey, apple and many other juice plants cultivated in the schools’ environment.

Another gardening teacher from Germany reported that 80% of school gardening budget is provided by the government (Bildungsministerium - ministry of education), while 20% of the budget is provided by the parents. He stressed that there were 210 Waldorf Schools in Germany as of 2008, among these, 180 of them already had a gardening program for the cultivation of fruit and vegetable crops. The teacher also posited that the budget for school gardening projects is very minimal. It was stressed that the budget for gardening teachers’ payment and running of the gardening project amounted to €6461.600 in different Waldorf Schools, government provide an amount of €5169. 600 and parents pay the amount of €1292. 000 (from school fees). However, the state schools are different from the Waldorf Schools in budget allocation and planning since Waldorf schools are purely private institutions. Government own schools are State oriented, budget allocation for gardening programs in the State Schools, maybe less than 55% as reported by the Waldorf school teachers, but the accuracy is not certain since information could not be obtained from the State Schools on budget allocation directly.

In Nigeria, teachers write letters to CARITAS (Catholic Relief Services), banks, agricultural ministries and some individual companies to solicit fund for the establishment and continuation of gardening projects. Most times, the requested fund are turned down which has resulted to hindrance to gardening programs in the country. For teachers who have been able to raise fund for the improvement of gardening project, very little amount of approximately five to ten thousand naira (€25 to €50.00) yearly is received. Some get seeds from government institutions like the department of agriculture. It was also reported that the extension service does offer schools technical advice which was actually reported inefficient.

On the phase of this study, significant difference within the countries was observed. The mean variation between the countries was evaluated using Kruskal Wallis test. Variables were evaluated by grouping countries. The test reveals high significant difference between Nigeria and U.S. at a value of p ≤ 0.000 level and between Germany and Nigeria at a value of p = 0.000, but significant difference was not present between Germany and the U.S.

Table 4.4.7: Mean comparion of donation towards gardening projects

Names of Country Names of Country Mean Difference Sig.

(I) (J) (I-J)

Germany Nigeria 1.718 ^** 0.000

USA 0.100 0.989

Nigeria Germany -1.718 ^** 0.000

USA -1.618 ^** 0.000

USA Germany -0.100 0.989

Nigeria 1.618 ^** 0.000

Test: Calculations assume test score data from a variable.

Figures are based on the LSD tests.

Note: **The mean difference is significant at the value of p ≤ 0.000 to 0.05 level.

The reason could be due to poor funding possibility in Nigeria. The result may have also been undemined by a high degree of countries’ development and availability of resources to embark on gardening projects.