Creating Independent Children through Nature School

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Yahya Ado

Learning is not merely for the sake of academic titles, but rather is an accumulation of experience at home, in school and the environment to become independent. This should be inculcated in children from an early age in nature. Yahya Ado practices it intensely with dozens of early-age children in Manusak village, Kupang regency. He has set up a nature school to teach children to be self-reliant by benefiting from the potential of nature.

Yahya Ado, 43, visited in Kupang on Monday (21/6/2021), said he had opened a nature school in Manusak village, Kupang regency in 2019, named Sekolah Alam Manusak (SAM). This is the first nature school in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Manusak village has a majority of ex- East Timor residents.

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Ado was interested in running a nature school after observing so many children who showed no appreciation of the environment. They imitated the behavior of local adults who frequently felled trees and damaged forest.

Besides, the children also tended to follow the emotional character of the grownups.

“I’ve chosen more children from disadvantaged families, including local residents. This is a free school. These children are neglected in various respects because of their parents’ economic incapacity. This school is meant to develop the attitude of independence among children for their future through different activities,” said Ado.

If they have full comprehension and get involved in practice, the children will certainly love them.

Children need to understand many things around them to give meaning to the values of life such as the environment, wildlife and their peers or their seniors. If they have full comprehension and get involved in practice, the children will certainly love them.

The operational cost of teaching and learning activities in Sekolah Alam Manusak is funded with income from the sales of cattle, corn, beans, vegetables, fruits and the school auditorium’s rental. The crops and cattle are raised by children under the guidance of Ado, assisted by two teachers.

Learning to experience

Children are taught to grow plants, apply fertilizers, weed wild plants, spray plants, harvest and sell crops. They are accompanied by Ado when selling in the market, in order to experience the process of demand and supply taking place there.

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Yahya Ado.

The main problem is water, but beside the school is Manusak River, which can easily be siphoned to the school. They are taught how to utilize water efficiently and keep the water clean.

“They learn to live independently from nature from an early age. They are trained to live with nature and be familiar with its potential, cultivate land, remove stones and appreciate nature as a life giver. Without working, integrating and being friendly with nature and nearby communities, people cannot be self-reliant, happy and give meaning to life,” said the founder and Director of Yayasan Rumah Solusi Beta Indonesia (child protection foundation), Kupang.

Sekolah Alam Manusak is attended by Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist children. They learn religions while maintaining mutual respect and appreciation. “Prayers before starting school activities are led by children of different faiths by turns and the respective religious adherents adapt to them,” said Ado.

The 7,600-square-meter location is like an open natural area, with a fairly extensive yard measuring 50 meters by 30 meters. Besides the yard are two fish ponds for angling by local residents and another for children’s learning sessions. There’s also a plantation of corn, green beans and ground nuts as well as flowers, papayas, pineapples and sugarcanes.

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The man from Adonara provides guidance for 32 children of the PAUD (early childhood education) category. They raise chickens, ducks, pigeons, parrots and several Timor bird species, while learning the typical traits of animals.

Apart from learning to write, read, do arithmetic and sing, they are also taught to identify plants along with their benefits and unique features. “An old saying goes, tak kenal maka tak sayang (unknown, unloved). Itprompted me to open this nature school for the upcoming younger generation,” he revealed.

The writer of four serial books, Wasiat Jalan (Journey Testament), said children were guided to lead a clean, honest, courteous life and be responsible for all the tasks assigned in school. It turns out that this is not only practiced in school but also at home, as recounted by their parents at school meetings.

The children strive to practice clean living at home. They don’t want to see dirty closets or bathrooms, improperly stored goods and leaves and rubbish littered in house yards. This is in accordance with their parents’ testimonials.

Honesty

For the former 11-year employee of Plan International Indonesia, children should have nationalist character. Different religions, customs and cultures are also taught in this school, so are regional songs and ethnic groups’ typical characteristics in Indonesia.

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Yahya Ado teaches the children to water the plants.

According to Ado, children should from an early age be taught to be honest and respectful of peers and teachers. The belongings of their friends or school should be safeguarded or returned to their owners if they fall or be left behind in school.

At meetings with parents, Ado asked them to support children’s development in school by applying the same things at home. “It shouldn’t happen that while in school children are taught to be independent, at home they are pampered or undergo physical violence,” he said.

Ado also takes the opportunity to visit students’ houses by turns to ascertain whether what is taught in the nature school is also practiced by the children at home.

“The PAUD learning concept is nature-based so that the themes of teaching are also suited to the situation and condition of surrounding nature. This is very close to the philosophy of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, which is learning freedom,” said Ado.

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Children are free to exploit all their capabilities. They should feel happy and comfortable in this school. When they return home, they always want to go back to school to play and learn along with nature and schoolmates.

The terms in the nature school vary among children depending on their ages. Some learn for one year, two years, and others for three years as they have to join primary school after entering the age of 6 or 7.

The graduate of English literature of Indonesian Muslim University, Makassar, wishes to open the same nature schools in Lembata, Kupang city, and Nagekeo, but he’s still seeking sponsors. Despite NTT’s barren land, if its people takes care of and maintain it, nature will restore their welfare instead of punishing them.

Yahya Ado

Born: Boleng, Adonara, 18 May 1978

Wife: Suryati Malik

Children: Arham Alifditya Yahya, 9 and Ghaizan Alfaridzi Yahya, 4

Education: Master’s degree in Kupang Undana Linguistics and Culture

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira)