Here's how we mark Total Defence: Plant, harvest & munch on sweet potatoes in school
Pupils at West Spring Primary School stepped into the shoes of their forefathers for Total Defence week - by getting their hands dirty.
Those with green thumbs had been busy planting and harvesting sweet potatoes.
The reward for all that hard work?
Sampling firsthand what the Primary 1 and Primary 2 pupils grew.
This is the way to get things done: From planting the seedlings to...
... Harvesting the sweet potato crops. Photos: West Spring Primary School
Total Defence week commemorates the fall of Singapore to the Japanese more than 70 years ago (on Feb 15, 1942).
It has a message: That everyone has a part to play in defending the country.
You and me - defending the country. Photo: West Spring Primary School
Over at Bukit Panjang, more than 450 West Spring Primary pupils and 15 teachers took part in various activities that helped build a sense of belonging to the school.
And once the crops were harvested, canteen vendors prepared the tubers for sampling.
Mmm, the taste of sweet potatoes during recess is shiok! Photo: West Spring Primary School
Through the planting and harvesting of crops, the school aims to teach students about the importance of self-sufficiency.
But why sweet potatoes?
The crop's importance dates back to the time of the Japanese Occupation, when food was scarce.
That forced Singaporeans to turn to growing sweet potatoes as a staple - a cheaper alternative to filling the stomach compared to rice.
And the verdict among those who had a taste?
"We were pleasantly surprised that all the pupils thoroughly enjoyed eating the sweet potatoes." - West Spring Primary principal Jacinta Lim
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