Indonesian High School Teaches Food Self-Sufficiency and Student Independence

At SMA Negeri 1 Turen high school in Malang Regency, East Java, students are learning about food not just through textbooks, but through direct experience. In a corner of the school lies a greenhouse roughly the size of a volleyball court, where students are directly involved in planting, tending, and harvesting vegetables. Inside the greenhouse, lettuce and pak choi are grown on hydroponic racks, while chili peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes are cultivated using polybags. These activities are carried out by students participating in a program called "Green School." They are learning how to prepare planting media, create liquid fertilizer, select seedlings, and manage plants to ensure healthy growth. They also receive training from practitioners and hydroponic farmers. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, where plant roots obtain water and nutrients from a special solution. This method is suitable for use in schools or urban areas because it does not require extensive land. Even used plastic bottles can be utilized as simple planting containers. This hands-on learning makes biology and environmental lessons more comprehensible. Students don't just memorize plant parts; they directly observe how roots absorb nutrients, how leaves perform photosynthesis, and how water, light, and fertilizer influence growth. The harvested produce is also used in culinary arts classes. This allows students to experience the journey of food from seed to plant, harvest, and finally to the dining table. The experience gained at school is also brought home; one student has begun helping their parents grow chili peppers, eggplants, melons, and tomatoes in their home garden, contributing to meeting some of their family's food needs. In addition to cultivation activities, students are also learning about waste management.