“Our goal is to build pupils’ awareness of the importance of adopting a clean lifestyle, maintaining environmental hygiene, and managing waste,” Fitriyanti, an official from the ministry’s Directorate General of Strategic Infrastructure, stated in Tabanan District, Bali, on Friday.
The program introduced 75 students of Junior High Sekolah Rakyat 17 of Tabanan, located at the Mahatmiya Social Affairs Center of the Ministry of Social Affairs, to proper waste-sorting methods.
Alisa Sipahutar from the ministry’s Directorate General of Human Settlements also participated in the activity, guiding students in sorting organic, non-organic, and residual waste into three barrels.
Specifically, a green barrel was designated for waste of organic materials like leaves, yellow for non-organic waste such as plastic bottles and paper, and red for non-recyclable waste.
“Now I understand what residual waste is and what non-organic waste is. Before, I used to just throw everything into one bin,” Ari Jumarta, one of the participating pupils, stated.
Head of the Mahatmiya Social Affairs Center, Sumarno Sri Wibowo, expressed hope that the activity would help foster environmental care among the students, especially since they live in dormitories.
Along with waste-sorting lessons, students were encouraged to adopt healthy habits, starting with regular handwashing. Fun games and competitions were also held to mark Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day and enliven the educational activity.
The Mahatmiya Social Affairs Center is one of the facilities renovated by the Ministry of Public Works under the Sekolah Rakyat program. The makeshift school began operating on July 14.
Nationwide, the ministry has converted similar buildings into Sekolah Rakyat sites in 65 locations across 24 provinces.
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Translator: Dewa K, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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