Himachal School Students Grow Mushrooms In Classroom, Learn Experientially Blending Theory With Practice
For students of a Sirmaur school, learning to cultivate mushrooms within the confines of a classroom was fun, educational, but most importantly eye-opening.
Published : April 2, 2025 at 5:04 PM IST
Sirmaur: In today’s world, when most of the school curriculum is theory-based, an institution in Himachal Pradesh decided to do it otherwise. It made sure that its students laid their hands on practical knowledge and learn from do-it-yourself (DIY) way through proper guidance. Welcome to PM Shri Pandit Durga Datt Government Adarsh Senior Secondary School, Narg, where students are not only studying agriculture theoretically but putting their lessons into action, practically. Their latest achievement? These students have cultivated button mushrooms successfully inside a classroom, sans fertilisers or other chemicals.
The initiative, a part of the vocational curriculum for Class 9 students who have opted for Agriculture and Healthcare, was led by a few teachers from the school and a mushroom scientist. After achieving success, plans are in the offing to grow Dhingri and Shitake mushrooms—two highly sought-after varieties.
“The purpose was to ensure that children don’t just learn through rote but also gain practical knowledge and that too by doing it themselves,” says Neha Koondel, an agriculture teacher at the school. “Around 80 students in the school have opted for agriculture as a vocational subject and this experiment helped them develop real-world skills,” she adds.
How Did Mushrooms Grow in a Classroom?
Turning a regular classroom into a mushroom cultivation lab was not that easy neither was it done whimsically. It required careful planning and temperature control, says Principal Rohit Verma. Explaining the process, he states that about 10 bags of mushroom spawn were sourced from Nauni University, Solan. Then the classroom, usually which has a temperature of 13–14°C, needed a higher degree like 20–22°C for proper growth of mushroom. "So we used heaters and a 200-watt bulb. The spawn was then placed on a casing soil layer, and we tried to maintain moisture with wet sacks. After about three to four days, mushroom flashes appeared and we shifted those to a cooler, well-ventilated room which had a lower temperature of 14°C for better growth," he informs.
As per school authorities the mushrooms, harvested a day ago, will be used in the mid-day meal, giving students a taste of their efforts.
“The excitement in the students for successfully growing mushrooms without chemical fertilizers is worth watching. Now they want to continue the process and we are planning to introduce more advanced varieties like Dhingri and Shitake mushrooms in the next phase,” Verma further states, thanking Dr. Savita Jandayak, mushroom expert of Nauni University for her guidance.
But this was not the first time the school stressed on experiential learning. Here, students have access to Maharishi Charak Medicinal Garden, a vermi compost unit, a Greenhouse and kitchen garden and an OPD room for health-related vocational training. All of these help students to gain hands-on experience, ensuring that they can blend theoretical knowledge with practical use which can help them opt for new career opportunities.
Students Say Learning by Doing is Fun
For students Rahul, Anshul, Divyansh, Aarush, Varun and Ayush, the entire exercise was exciting. "Because we learnt it the practical way, we were able to understand the process much better. So it was fun and educational also," the students say. "We also have better judgement to choose career options as this project has been eye-opening," says Rahul.
Teacher Neha Koondel and lab assistant Krishna (lab assistant) say they are looking forward to getting a soil testing kit for the school. "We can use it for the students and local farmers to find out the status and quality of nutrients in the soil. This will enable them to use the right amount of manure and fertilizer and increase the yield of their crops," concludes Neha.
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