The loss of agricultural science from the senior school curriculum would be “devastating”, in the words of Tully State High School agriculture coordinator Warren Giffen.
The school has been teaching the standalone subject for over 25 years and has been finding it an ideal pathway for numerous tertiary courses, from veterinary science and biotechnology to agronomy and wildlife ranger careers.
Mr Giffen was reacting to suggestions that the state education department could be dropping the subject from its senior school curriculum.
“Agriculture is an integral part of Australian life,” he said. “It’s the future of Australia, the only industry that’s never let us down.
“It’s inter-connected with marketing and science and feeding the world and financial management. We even discuss geography and world politics during lessons.
“It can’t be hidden away in another subject.”
One of the school’s more famous graduates is Graham Cripps, brother to shadow Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps, who is working with the Vietnamese sugar industry.
All students are exposed to the subject in Years 7 and 8, working in the school vegetable garden first, then undertaking chicken husbandry where they take a chicken home for a period of time.
Two of the school’s former ag science students, Alicia Vasta and Kayla Apap recently returned with high praise for the way the course prepared them for their veterinary science studies.
They said the holistic study of agriculture opened their eyes to the many possibilities for future career paths, thanks to cattle handling knowledge, exhibition and judging, industry excursions and “real world” industry experience and research.
It also gave them large animal skills that prepared them well for the rigours of veterinary science.
According to Mr Giffen, both girls said that ag science was the most useful of all the subjects they studied at senior level.
“In the early years of their studies at James Cook University, they would often have an edge, as they were knowledgeable about specific topics being covered.
“This was very reassuring for the current students and all were very motivated and interested in what the two fifth year veterinary students had done to be within reach of achieving their dream jobs.
“Two of the current Year 11 students who are aiming to study veterinary science now have more clarity and motivation, with the realisation that they too can do what their predecessors are doing.”
Mr Giffen said that over 60 per cent of the students who study ag science at Tully end up in tertiary studies.
“There’s a strong interest from girls for the courses as well,” he said.
“For many years agriculture has had an image problem, of droughts and flooding rains, but ag doesn’t happen unless kids are coming through.
“It’s going ahead because of science and technology, and they’re the one’s driving that.”