West Java Official: Strong Character Built Through Simple Daily Habits
INFO TEMPO – The Regional Secretary of West Java Province, Herman Suryatman, has said that the Ecology Action is not merely the closing event of the School Environment Introduction Programme (MPLS), but the start of character formation that must be realised continuously in everyday life. He made the remarks after closing the MPLS Pancawaluya 2026 series through the Ecology Action, centred at the Cikutra Heroes Cemetery (TMP) in Bandung City on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.
The Ecology Action was attended by representatives of senior high school (SMA) and vocational school (SMK) students and was carried out simultaneously across all regencies and cities in West Java. “This activity is merely symbolic. What matters most is real action after returning home, to school, and to the community environment,” he said.
The Ecology Action was held at 882 state school locations, with activities centred in 27 regencies and cities. In total, the event involved 343,374 new Year 10 students from SMA, SMK and special education schools (SLB), both state and private. Of that number, 327,604 students came from state schools.
On that occasion, the Regional Secretary urged students to accustom themselves to taking part in various domestic activities as part of character formation. According to him, simple habits such as sweeping the house, washing and ironing one’s own clothes, helping parents trade or farm, and keeping the environment clean are exercises in building leadership, independence, responsibility and social awareness.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it today. Start with small, simple things, but do them consistently. Those good habits will shape your character and lead you to become leaders in the future,” he said. According to Herman, a person’s success is determined not only by academic ability, but also by character and soft skills built through positive habits in daily life.
The Head of the West Java Education Office (Kadisdik), Purwanto, said the Ecology Action forms part of the pedagogical practice in implementing the Pancawaluya character education programme, which is expected to become a culture across all educational units. According to him, this action is a learning practice that must become a habit at school. “It starts with maintaining personal cleanliness, the classroom, the school grounds, and the surrounding environment as part of character education,” he said.
The Ecology Action was carried out collaboratively with River Clean Up Indonesia, the Sapulidi Community, regional agencies, the military, the police and various other environmental care communities. At the provincial level, participants carried out various concrete actions such as clean-up operations, cleaning neighbourhoods and rivers, cleaning and maintaining the heroes’ cemetery areas, as well as taking part in environmental conservation education with River Clean Up Indonesia and the Sapulidi Community of the West Java Education Office.
In addition to being centred at TMP Cikutra, the Ecology Action was also held at SMAN 3 Bandung and SMAN 5 Bandung together with the Pandawara Group, and at all educational units across West Java. Through this movement, it is hoped that the spirit of maintaining cleanliness and environmental sustainability will not stop with the MPLS, but will become a culture that continues to grow in students’ lives as a tangible expression of the character values of Cageur, Bageur, Bener, Pinter and Singer.