Getting to Know Green School Bali: An Ecology-Based School in Badung
Choosing a school involves not only considering physical facilities or costs, but also the curriculum and learning environment within. Green School Bali offers an ecologically based education for its students.
Environmental awareness is becoming an increasingly crucial issue. Introducing environmental issues from an early age is an important step. This is what is emphasised in the teaching methods at Green School Bali.
History and Establishment
This school was founded by the couple John Hardy and Cynthia Hardy in 2008 in Abiansemal Village, Badung. Its location is not far from the Ayung River. Its establishment was inspired by the documentary film An Inconvenient Truth and the Three Springs concept. Initially, the school only accommodated 90 students, but it has now grown rapidly with a student body of more than 500.
Vision and Curriculum
The school’s vision is to be a community of learners making a sustainable world a reality. Its mission is to educate for sustainability through entrepreneurial learning integrated with the community, in a natural environment without walls.
There are four learning approaches applied at Green School Bali:
Holistic relationships between students and with the environment.
Hands-on practice and student involvement in every experiment.
Real action on environmental problems.
Understanding behaviour at the local level that has a global impact.
Through the learning by doing method, students are expected to develop empathy and a deep understanding of nature and sustainability, so that they become agents of environmental change.
Eco-Friendly Facilities
One of the school’s main attractions is its buildings, which are entirely made of bamboo. Bamboo was chosen because of its abundance in tropical regions and its environmentally friendly nature, as it is easily biodegradable.
In addition, supporting facilities include a compost station, aquaponics centre, waste management centre, biobus laboratory, and a micro-hydro power plant as a source of renewable energy. The school’s lush location, surrounded by rivers and large trees, supports a calm learning atmosphere and allows students to interact directly with the natural ecosystem.
Education Levels and Fees
Green School Bali has four levels of education: early childhood education (PAUD) for ages 3-5, primary school, junior high school, and senior high school.
The school also offers short courses for the general public. Regarding fees, there are differences in rates between levels and programmes. As an illustration, the cost for the high school level can reach Rp 300 million, while short course fees start from Rp 2.7 million.
Under the auspices of the Kul Kul Foundation, diplomas from this school are officially recognised by the state, with a curriculum that differs from the national curriculum. For students planning to continue to higher education, the school provides consulting services related to diploma administration.