When a Garden Becomes a Classroom

Every morning, Waluyo collects fallen leaves, trimmed branches and organic waste while caring for the gardens at one of OCS Indonesia’s educational customer sites in Jakarta. To most people, they are simply part of keeping the grounds tidy. To Waluyo, they are the beginning of something more.

As a Senior Gardener, Waluyo is responsible for maintaining healthy, welcoming outdoor spaces. His daily work includes watering plants, pruning trees and shrubs, and cultivating seedlings. Over time, he began to see this routine tasks differently.

Turning organic waste into a learning resource

Drawing on his gardening experience, Waluyo began turning pruned branches, fallen leaves and food scraps into compost and planting media that support healthy plant growth. What began as a practical way to reuse organic waste, his composting work caught the attention of a biology teacher. As they got to know each other, they realised they shared the same goal of helping children understand the environment through hands-on learning.

Together, they develop a weekly extracurricular programme for kindergarten and primary school students. Through the programme, children experience every stage of the process, from organic waste and composting to planting and harvest. Along the way, they discover how natural materials can be reused instead of discarded.

Learning beyond the classroom

For the students, the school garden has become an extension of the classroom. Each week, they explore different types of organic materials, observe how natural decomposition works, prepare planting media, and grow seedlings.

Waluyo encourages them to observe closely, compare colours and textures, ask questions and understand how healthy soil supports healthy plants. These hands-on activities spark curiosity and help them develop a deeper appreciation of the relationship between people and the environment.

The programme has successfully grown a variety of horticultural crops, including water spinach, chilli peppers and papaya. At harvest time, students can take the produce home to share with their families.

Growing through unity and collaboration

The programme works because everyone brings something different. Teachers connect the activities with classroom learning. Waluyo shares his practical expertise, and the school provides an environment where children can explore beyond the classroom.

Together, they have created an experience that encourages students to care for the environment from an early age. More importantly, the programme brings the meaning of Unity to life. It is about bringing together different skills, experiences, and perspectives to benefit others.

In recognition of his contribution to bringing people together, Waluyo received appreciation in the OCS Indonesia TRUE Star Programme under Unity category. He had previously been recognised with the Respect category for his organic fertiliser initiative.

For Waluyo, caring for a garden means more than maintaining plants. By sharing what he knows, he has helped turn the school garden into a place where children learn, explore, and develop a deeper appreciation for the environment.