Fuiloro, Timor-Leste, 17 February 2023 -- The third years of Don Bosco Agricultural School are in their on-the-job training period. This program is an annual activity in the school curriculum under the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Agriculture’s supervision. For this year, the students in the third year are carrying out their program in the Municipalities of Dili, Baucau and Lautem.

       The program covers Agriculture, Veterinary Science and Fishery. In partnership with international, national and local agencies the school has sent the students to these different agencies aimed to determine their capacity in implementing everything they have studied in the school over two years. Although they have not studied everything, this is the moment for hands-on practice of things they have studied. Aside from putting into practice whatever they have studied, this will also be a time of enrichment.

       With regard to agriculture, the students are introduced to a combination of traditional and modern agriculture where emphasis is on production, capital gain, input intensity and crop consistency. From single and small production, with the advances in technology in agriculture, the students are being introduced to mass production with machines.

       With the current climate emergency and global warming bring climate change, the students are also introduced in such a way to produce efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly products. Some parts of Timor-Leste has barren, infertile soil, hence, with the advances in technology and new discoveries, the students are practicing to improve the fertility of the soil. This practice is called agro-ecology.

       With regard to veterinary science, the students are introduced to veterinary science, medical specialty concerned with prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the health of the animals and preventing transmission of animal disease to people. Today’s veterinarian is being educated to protect the health of both animals and people. Treating and taking care of the animals must not be to the detriment of the health of the people. The veterinarian also plays critical roles in environmental protection, research, food safety and public health. Their work is complex but with the seriousness of studies and good practice, they are assured to offer the best in practice during this internship program to benefit the people and eventually contribute to the development of veterinary science in Timor-Leste.

       With regard to fishery, the students are introduced to raising and harvesting fish and other aquatic life. In this area, the students are practising it by combining traditional and modern ways of raising fish.

       During this internship program, the students are also introduced to marketing and commercial ideas. From this program they learn to bring the result from their farm, pen and fish pond for selling to the public. This aims to prepare them for the labor market that has been so demanding in the past decade. Aside from preparing for university they are also ready in the area of entrepreneurship.

       The internship lasts two months, from February to April 2023.

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