Ocean LiteraSEA: Small Stories of Coastal Children for the Future of Indonesia's Oceans
There has been a subtle but noticeable change in a classroom at SDN Sarang Tiung, Kotabaru, South Kalimantan. Previously, teachers had to repeatedly remind students to dispose of rubbish correctly; now, the students themselves remind one another.
“Now, students are the ones reminding each other not to litter. They dare to reprimand their peers and even bring these good habits home,” testified Mrs Kusriati, a teacher at SDN Sarang Tiung.
SDN Sarang Tiung is one of 61 coastal schools participating in the Ocean LiteraSEA programme. This Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) initiative, focused on the education pillar, was launched by PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) in collaboration with Inovasi Muda.
Growing environmental awareness through shared habits among students is one of the key transformative targets of the Ocean LiteraSEA programme. While these changes may seem simple, they can serve as the starting point for much larger impacts on the marine ecosystem.
Restu Andini, Chairwoman of Inovasi Muda, explained that protecting the ocean involves more than just cleaning up coastal waste. It requires a generation that understands the sea, cares for its sustainability, and possesses the ability to create future solutions.
“This is where Ocean LiteraSEA comes in, to increase public knowledge and awareness, particularly among the younger generation in coastal areas, regarding the importance of protecting the ocean,” Restera stated during the Indonesia Sustainability 360 Forum 2026 held last week.
She noted that marine education extends beyond environmental knowledge. According to her, marine literacy can serve as an entry point to introduce various opportunities and skills relevant to the future.
“We are driving Ocean LiteraSEA not just so children know about the sea, but so they care, take action, develop skills, and ultimately understand that the ocean offers many professional opportunities in the future.”
Operating since 2023, the Ocean LiteraSEA programme has reached 61 coastal schools, involving over 3,600 student beneficiaries and producing 41 certified teachers. The programme has also revitalised 25 libraries, diverted 3.86 tonnes of waste, and provided scholarships to 15 young seafarers. This demonstrates that building ocean stewardship can begin in simple spaces: classrooms, libraries, schoolyards, and the coastlines where children grow up.
Acting Corporate Secretary of PIS, Vega Pita, stated that Ocean LiteraSEA is a form of PIS’s ongoing commitment to developing coastal communities through education and tangible marine conservation actions.
“This is our effort to prepare the generation that will protect the ocean in the future—a generation that will eventually make decisions, lead change, and determine how our oceans and natural resources are managed sustainably,” explained Vega.
For PIS, these efforts are part of a corporate responsibility that focuses not only on business continuity but also on environmental and social sustainability. According to Vega, investing in the younger generation is a vital component of long-term maritime ecosystem preservation.
“We hope that the children who today learn to know the sea, clean the coast, and dare to remind their friends to protect the environment, will become heroes for the preservation of Indonesia’s oceans and grow into proud maritime talents,” said Vega.
The urgency of building a generation with marine awareness is heightened by the challenges facing Indonesia. According to data from the National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), national waste accumulation is expected to reach 50.6 million tonnes by 2025. Approximately 40 per cent of this remains unmanaged and has the potential to end up in the ocean. It is estimated that 16.2 million tonnes of waste enter the ocean annually.
Marine debris threatens aquatic life, destroys habitats, and disrupts the food chain within marine ecosystems.
Today, a student reminds a peer. Tomorrow, they may involve their family. In the future, they may choose a profession related to the sea or any field that carries the principle of environmental love. Sometimes, environmental heroes begin as a child in a coastal school who chooses to pick up litter, encourages friends to maintain cleanliness, and begins to understand that the ocean is not just where they live, but a part of the future they must protect.