By: Lasno (Kindergarten/SD Supervisor UPT Education Office Maliku Sub-district, Pulang Pisau Regency Central Kalimantan)

The new face of SDN Tahai Baru 2 looks more beautiful. This school is one of the schools assisted by the ESD program of WWF-Indonesia Central Kalimantan. Since 2008, the school located in Maliku Sub-district, Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, has been improving. From a muddy and rundown school to a clean, green, and environmentally friendly school. The first step was to invite parents, school committee members, village officials, and other agencies in Tahai Baru Village and present a work plan to change the school for the better, both academically and in terms of environmental morals. Armed with the vision of "Environmental School", all parties together with teachers incorporate contextual and environmental as learning resources and create Active, Creative and Fun Learning (PAKEM).

By using the Cooperative Learning model, teachers at SDN Tahai Baru 2 try to invite students to learn more actively, where the teacher's role is only as a guide/facilitator in teaching and learning activities. This different approach to learning is proven to make students not feel bored, and students are able to understand lessons better because learning is not only done in the classroom with teachers and books as the center of information, but also interact directly with the surrounding nature.

After attending the Education for Sustainnable Development (ESD) training in 2010, the desire to change the school for the better and stronger. Armed with this strong determination, the Principal, who received an award as "Environmentally Sound Principal" from the Minister of National Education in 2009, invited the school community and the surrounding community to jointly implement ESD at SDN Tahai Baru 2.

The change happened. The school, which has been awarded twice by the Regent of Pulang Pisau as the 2nd Champion of Environmentally Friendly Schools at the SD/MI level, has been able to transform into a green school with better waste management than before. The school is not only the responsibility of the teachers, but of all school members. The committee and community are also involved in school development. Students are given the responsibility of protecting and maintaining the environment. One by one, the criteria for the ideal school has been realized. SDN Tahai Baru 2, which is now under the guidance of Hermanus S.Pd.SD as Principal, is able to have a positive impact not only on students, teachers and the school environment, but also the community around Tahai Baru Village and has even had a positive impact on junior and senior high schools around Tahai Baru Village and Tahai Jaya Village.