ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Status: Ongoing, since 2016
Many children in North Sulawesi's coastal areas lack education about the importance of marine ecosystems, despite their close connection to the environment. This gap exists partly because many teachers aren't equipped to teach about vital coastal resources like mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass.
To address this, Manengkel Solidaritas, a local NGO, developed "Skolah Sei Pante" (SSP), a coastal education program focused on empowering the community through bottom-up planning. SSP, meaning "teaching on the beach," aims to enhance the protection of marine resources by fostering a deeper understanding among students.
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Learning Structure
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The SSP program is structured into three levels: Messenger, Transformer, and Agent of Change. Each level provides a learning package with modules designed to build students' knowledge and attitudes toward environmental stewardship.
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Messenger: Students engage in interactive activities like games, movies, and success stories, building a foundational understanding of coastal ecosystems.
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Transformer: Students participate in more hands-on fieldwork and outdoor learning, applying their knowledge in real-world settings.
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Agent of Change: Students work independently on environmental projects, using advanced outdoor methods and field practices to complete environmental missions.
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Students earn badges and ranks as they progress through the levels, symbolizing their growth and commitment. The program is supported by volunteer teachers, including lecturers, students, and local educators, with parents involved in monitoring their children's progress.
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Evaluation
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The effectiveness of SSP is evaluated monthly and bi-annually. Monthly assessments gauge how well students are absorbing the material, while a six-month written evaluation measures the overall success of the program. These evaluations focus on improving the program rather than grading the students, ensuring the materials and methods are effective.
The first level – The Messenger – introduces children to the coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangrove, corals and seagrass. This is the very basic level therefore teaching and learning activity are mostly in class or 60% indoor and 40% of the time outdoor. After finishing the first module children are able to become the messenger for coastal and environmental issues in their community.
Kids at class (1)
The second level - The Transformer – is an intermediate level of the teaching, focused on extending knowledge of the coastal environment and waste management and provides children with a better understanding of climate change. After the second level is complete, children can take on the role of The Transformer and begin to lead others in the need to change coastal practices for sustainability.
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Outdoor activity (1)
The third level - The Agent of Change – is a module is about transforming knowledge into practice. After completing this module children have gained new practical skills in how to take action in protecting their local marine environment. In time through promoting a love for the environment, the desire for conservation among children and young people can influence the people who make the decisions.
Kids at class (2)
This project is sponsored by :
