New CAPS Subjects: Agricultural Studies
Date Published: December 3, 2020
Angie Motshekga, the Minister of Education, has announced the addition of 13 new subjects in the CAPS curriculum.
Here is everything you need to know about the new subject, Agricultural Studies.
- The benefits
- What is Agricultural Studies about?
- Topics that Will Be Covered
- Aims
- Time Allocation
- Content overview
The Benefit of The Added Subjects
The 13 new added subjects will equip grade 8 and 9 learners for a specific trade or career if they decide to leave school before matric. With Agricultural Studies, school-leavers will be skilled enough to begin working in the agricultural industry.
If students do not drop-out, they will have the necessary skills to pursue tertiary education in the Agricultural Field of study.
What is Agricultural Studies About?
Agricultural Studies focuses on the production processes, farming and other elements of agriculture. This includes the processes of all agricultural sectors, from beginning to end.
This subject will also discuss the nature of the agricultural business, science, technology and engineering.
Topics That Will Be Covered
These are the following subjects that will be covered in Agricultural Studies:
- General farming / Tools and equipment / Safety and communication: To help understand the principles of farming, conservation, equipment care and maintenance, OHS and alternate energy sources.
- Plant Production and Gardening, Soil and Conservation: Expanding on soil as a medium of production, soil cultivation, plant growth, pests and diseases, irrigation and gardening.
- Animal Production: Its economic importance, animal management, animal behaviour.
- Business / Entrepreneurship /Value-adding and processing: Learning about agricultural entrepreneurship, incomes and expenditures, harvesting, storing, processing, value-adding and packaging.
Aims
This subject has been added to the CAPS curriculum to help provide basic agricultural knowledge and skills to students.
This will aid any students who wish to go into the agricultural industry and will give them a greater understanding of where produce and consumables come from.
It will also give school-leavers the opportunity to find work in the agricultural industry and build a career after their grade 9 school year.
Time Allocation
In a five-day cycle, 2 hours must be dedicated to this subject for all the information to be taught and lessons to be completed.
Content Overview
Here is the content overview of Agricultural Studies as released by the Department of Education. This includes content for grades 8 and 9 to which the subject will be targeted.
Author: Andrea Frisby
