UNUSIA Develops Learning Module for Students to Support Mangrove Protection

Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Indonesia (UNUSIA) is currently drafting a prototype teaching module for school children as an educational approach to the preservation and protection of mangroves in Indonesia. This step is part of an effort to support the implementation of Government Regulation (PP) Number 27 of 2025 concerning the Protection and Management of Mangrove Ecosystems.

Through a programme titled ‘Next Generation of Mangrove Stewards’, supported by the Mangrove for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) project under the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Management Agency (KLH/BPLH), UNUSIA is determined to produce future mangrove guardians, advocates, and innovators from coastal regions.

“The main goal is to provide a learning module or mangrove education prototype that teachers can use to educate students from schools and madrasahs in mangrove conservation areas, shaping the younger generation in coastal areas as future mangrove guardians, advocates, and innovators,” said UNUSIA Vice Rector Fathu Yasik in a press release on Wednesday (10/6/2026).

According to Yasik, based on studies conducted by UNUSIA, this programme is driven by four current challenges facing mangrove ecosystems. First, climate change is a global challenge requiring real action from various parties. Second, mangrove ecosystems play a vital role in climate change mitigation, coastal protection, and have the potential to foster a sustainable economy. Third, Indonesia still faces the challenge of mangrove degradation caused by development pressures and low public awareness. Fourth, there is a need to develop implementation strategies for the ‘Restore, Enhance, and Maintain’ (3M) strategy for mangrove ecosystems within formal education to build long-term awareness among the younger generation.

The process of developing the “School and Madrasah-Based Mangrove Education” teaching module began in early 2026. With support from the M4CR at KLH/BPLH, which focuses on strengthening mangrove ecosystem governance, UNUSIA research teams have been conducting field surveys directly with schoolchildren in mangrove areas.

The research locations selected include Primary Schools (SD) and Junior High Schools (SMP) in Indramayu Regency, West Java, which are situated near mangrove ecosystems.

From the data and facts collected in the field by UNUSIA, there are three important findings that warrant further action. First, more than 50 per cent of students are indifferent to the potential loss of mangrove trees in their villages. This indifference is rooted in a lack of knowledge and contextual experience regarding their surrounding environment.

The second finding is that, to date, schools and mangrove ecosystem activists have been running their respective programmes without directed collaboration or cooperation. This has resulted in students lacking shared experiences with the mangrove ecosystems in their environment, which should serve as a source of contextual learning.

“Teachers and headmasters have expressed that they need modules or textbooks that can serve as references for learning by utilising the mangrove ecosystem. From that, we are compiling a textbook that will serve as a guide for teachers to teach students about the importance of protecting mangroves,” he added.