Posted on March, 23 2018

By: Olla Dorothea Bartho  

The Krayan Highlands is one of the border areas in North Kalimantan that also lies on the Heart of Borneo (HoB) areas. Krayan is well known for its organic rice as well as Krayan salt, which is also processed in the traditional way of boiling method. The natural beauty and culture of indigenous peoples in Krayan is also a very interesting part because it is still well maintained. And based in this, on October 2017, WWF - Indonesia implement the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Krayan.

Located precisely at Long Umung, WWF - Indonesia implements the ESD program. ESD itself comes from an environmental perspective, which is a process aimed at the growth of the world population who are aware and concern for the environment and sustainability, where the current generations and so have the knowledge, attitude, commitment and expertise to work individually and in groups face the problems that exist and take decisions for the prevention of new problems. It also aims to increase understanding of environmental education and education for sustainable development (ESD) as well as an understanding of the environment and how to manage it wisely and also improve knowledge about local culture and biodiversity.

The ESD program was held at two schools in Long Umung, SDN 003 and SMPN 003 Krayan. The initial process undertaken is to provide training to teachers, some of the materials provided are Introduction of ESD and Pillar of ESD, Life on a single Earth, Educational Methodology, and also on this occasion, WWF - Indonesia delivered materials about the Heart of Borneo (HoB) to the teachers. Although Krayan belongs to the HoB areas but not many of them know about the HoB, so it is necessary for teachers who are also indigenous peoples from Krayan to understand about the HoB and be able to keep and preserve their nature as well as teach the students the importance nature in Krayan for the world. 

On the last day, teachers were asked to make a map of thinking on local issues in Krayan. And from that, the existing local issues can be included in the syllabus to be integrated into learning materials.

The program doesn’t only stop in training course. In February 2018, WWF - Indonesia conducted the first mentoring for the two schools in Long Umung. Before starting the mentoring, a review of the previous training that has been done several months before it was held. The result is very satisfying because some teachers began to apply the teaching methods that have been delivered in the previous training. "I took the children to the river and saw that there was a bit of landslides, and I told them that it’s because we cut down our trees," said Yohanis, one of the teachers at SMPN 003 Krayan.

At this initial stage of mentoring, students are invited to make garden design according to their own wishes. In addition to designing the gardens, the students – as well as the teachers could practicing of compost-making, so when the school garden is already prepared, the school itself can use the compost made by the students themselves.

In order for the children be able to understand and know about the sustainable development in the early years, how they preserve the environment and nature in their homes, the ESD Programs are implemented in their schools. Hopefully, by this ESD program, the schools can increase awareness of the local community about the importance of maintaining the nature around them. Not only for ourselves but also for the whole society even for the world.