Greener Schools in Practice: Suhadi Turns Waste Into Learning and Food

Supporting Sustainable Learning Environments Through Everyday Care

Environmental awareness is built through daily habits, not only classroom lessons. When schools make sustainability visible and practical, it helps children connect learning to real behaviours that protect shared spaces.

Facilities teams can support that shift. Beyond maintaining clean and safe environments, everyday site decisions can reduce waste, create greener surroundings, and support the goals schools set for sustainability.

At an educational facility in Central Jakarta, OCS Indonesia supports a clean and safe learning environment. Sometimes that work goes further, helping create greener, more welcoming spaces that align with the school’s sustainability aims.

Turning Unused Materials into Something Useful

This approach is reflected in Suhadi, a general service officer known for finding new purpose in discarded materials. His ideas have improved the school environment while adding practical educational and ecological value.

His work began with an unused wooden stage frame. Rather than letting it become waste, he proposed turning it into a functional fish pond. With support from his leader and colleagues, he cleaned the materials, prepared the structure, and built a pond that many did not expect could be created from the original frame.

The pond now supports more than 100 edible fish. The harvest is shared with school staff and teachers, turning unused materials into a practical benefit for the community.

Through simple, low-cost action, the idea became a working part of the school’s green vision. It also supports understanding of local food cultivation and encourages day-to-day environmental responsibility.

A Shared Effort That Keeps Growing

Following the first pond for primary level and a second pond for junior secondary level, Suhadi’s efforts expanded into daily care for plants across the school environment. Together with colleagues, he supports fruit trees and ornamental plants that make the site feel more welcoming.

The team waters plants regularly and applies fertiliser when needed. Teachers actively support these programmes and encourage participation across the school.

Students have joined in too. They help care for the plants and decorate pots with drawings, from animals to anime characters. These small contributions help build shared ownership and pride in the environment.

Recognition for a Meaningful Contribution

Suhadi’s commitment has been recognised through the OCS Indonesia TRUE Star programme in the Unity category, reflecting teamwork and practical sustainability on site.

Recognition matters when it reinforces the behaviours that improve everyday outcomes. Suhadi’s development is also supported through training and learning opportunities within the business.