Learn how to design, implement, and maintain educational gardens that engage students and enhance learning across the curriculum. Create vibrant outdoor classrooms that inspire the next generation.
School gardens are powerful educational tools that connect students to nature, food systems, and academic subjects in meaningful ways. This comprehensive course guides you through the process of designing, implementing, and maintaining successful school gardens that serve as vibrant outdoor classrooms.
Whether you're a teacher, school administrator, parent volunteer, or community educator, this course provides the knowledge and practical skills to create garden spaces that engage students, enhance curriculum connections, and foster environmental stewardship. You'll learn how to develop gardens that are sustainable, accessible, and integrated into the educational experience.
Through video lessons, case studies, planning tools, and practical assignments, you'll develop a complete school garden plan tailored to your specific context, climate, and educational goals. The course emphasizes approaches that work across diverse African settings, from urban schools with limited space to rural institutions with more land available.
This intermediate-level online course includes:
All course materials are available in both English and French, with some resources also available in Swahili and Portuguese.
Basic gardening knowledge is helpful but not required. Our "Introduction to Sustainable Gardening" course provides a good foundation if you're new to gardening. This course is designed to be accessible to anyone interested in school gardens, regardless of prior experience.
Educational Garden Specialist & Teacher Trainer
Grace Mwangi has dedicated her career to developing effective school garden programs across East Africa. With a background in education and horticulture, she brings a unique perspective to garden-based learning that bridges classroom curriculum with hands-on outdoor experiences.
As the founder of the School Gardens Network in Kenya and a consultant for educational initiatives in Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, Grace has helped establish over 200 school gardens and trained more than 1,500 teachers in garden-based education.
Her approach emphasizes practical, resource-conscious methods that work within school constraints while maximizing educational benefits for students. Grace is passionate about using gardens to connect children with nature, food systems, and their cultural heritage.
3 months ago
As a primary school headmaster in Zambia, I was looking for ways to enhance our curriculum with practical learning experiences. This course provided exactly what we needed! The step-by-step planning process helped us create a garden that teachers actually use for lessons. Our students are more engaged, and we've even seen improvement in science test scores. The section on managing with limited resources was particularly valuable for our context.
2 months ago
I coordinate an after-school program in Dakar, and our garden has completely transformed after applying the principles from this course. The curriculum integration strategies helped us connect garden activities to what students are learning in school. I especially appreciated the inclusive design section, which helped us create spaces accessible to all our students, including those with mobility challenges.
1 month ago
Our school in Lagos had a neglected garden area that we wanted to revitalize. This course gave us the structure and tools to completely reimagine the space. The community engagement strategies were particularly helpful - we now have a team of parent volunteers who help maintain the garden. My only suggestion would be to include more content specific to urban schools with very limited space, but overall, this was an excellent investment for our school.
Learn the fundamentals of sustainable gardening practices that work with nature, conserve resources, and produce abundant harvests.
Learn advanced composting techniques for creating rich, living soil amendments using locally available materials.
Discover how to grow, harvest, and use traditional medicinal plants for health and wellness in your community.
Absolutely! The course covers multiple approaches for space-constrained settings, including container gardening, vertical growing systems, and small-plot intensive methods. We provide specific design strategies for urban schools and those with limited outdoor space. Even a few square meters can become a valuable learning garden with the right approach.
Module 5 addresses this common challenge in detail. We cover strategies such as vacation watering schedules, community involvement, drought-resistant planting, and seasonal planning that aligns with school calendars. You'll learn practical approaches that have worked for schools across various African contexts, even with extended breaks.
Yes! This course is designed for anyone involved in school gardens, including parent volunteers, community members, NGO staff, and garden coordinators. While we cover curriculum integration, the course provides valuable information on garden design, implementation, and management that's useful for all school garden supporters, regardless of their teaching background.
Yes, we offer special pricing for schools and educational organizations. If multiple staff members from your school wish to take the course, please contact our team at courses@dilulu.org to discuss group enrollment options. We also offer scholarship opportunities for schools with limited resources.
No prior gardening experience is required. While basic gardening knowledge is helpful, this course is designed to be accessible to beginners. We cover essential gardening concepts as they relate to school settings, and provide resources for further learning about specific gardening techniques. If you're completely new to gardening, our "Introduction to Sustainable Gardening" course provides a good foundation.
Yes, the course includes access to a community forum where you can share your specific challenges and receive feedback from instructors and fellow participants. The course assignments guide you through developing a complete plan for your school garden, and you'll receive general feedback on your project. For more personalized consulting, we offer additional services that can be arranged after course completion.
