Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Fajar Riza Ul Haq noted that his ministry continues to encourage the continuity of the character education strengthening program, which includes developing social and emotional intelligence.
"Children must have awareness about the environment and understand the impact of their lifestyle on the future of the earth," he noted in a written statement here on Friday.
Haq elaborated that character education is increasingly promoted through the green skills approach, which involves developing environmentally friendly skills and habits that can be applied in everyday life.
The initiative is also strengthened through the Adiwiyata school or green school program and various awards for environmentally friendly schools.
"We apply a deep learning approach where students not only receive information but truly understand and apply the concept of sustainability in their lives," he remarked.
Furthermore, he outlined several concrete steps that young people can take to contribute to sustainability, one of which is reducing the use of plastic by bringing along shopping bags as well as saving energy through mindful utilization of electricity.
He then highlighted that the other concrete steps are planting and nurturing trees to maintain balance in the ecosystem as well as implementing a low-waste lifestyle by sorting and recycling waste.
"Young people should not wait 20–30 years to care about the environment. What we do today determines our future," he stressed.
As part of the strategy to strengthen character education for sustainability, the government also continues to encourage teachers to serve as role models in implementing an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
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Translator: Hana Dewi, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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