West Java Official: Strong Character Built Through Simple Daily Habits

West Java Regional Secretary Herman Suryatman has stated that the Ecological Action (Aksi Ekologi) is not merely the closing event for the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS), but the beginning of character building that must be realised in daily life. He made the remarks during the closing of the 2026 Pancawaluya MPLS series, centred at the Cikutra Heroes’ Cemetery in Bandung on Tuesday, 21 July. The Ecological Action involved representatives of senior high school and vocational school students and was held simultaneously across all regencies and cities in West Java. “This activity is only symbolic. The most important thing is the real action after returning home, to school, and to the community,” he said. The action was held at 882 state school points, with centralised activities in 27 regencies and cities. Overall, the initiative involved 343,374 new Year 10 students from state and private senior high schools, vocational schools, and special needs schools. Of that number, 327,604 students were from state schools. On the occasion, the Regional Secretary invited students to get involved 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 maintaining environmental cleanliness are exercises for 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. Good habits will shape your character and lead you to become future leaders,” he said. Herman added that a person’s success is not solely determined by academic ability, but also by character and soft skills built through positive daily habits. Head of the West Java Education Office, Purwanto, said the Ecological Action is part of pedagogical practice in implementing the Pancawaluya character education, which is expected to become a culture in all educational units. He stated that this action is a learning practice that must become a habit in schools. “It starts from maintaining personal hygiene, the classroom, the schoolyard, to the surrounding environment as part of character education,” he said. The Ecological Action was carried out collaboratively with River Clean Up Indonesia, the Sapulidi Community, regional apparatus, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Police, and various other environmental care communities. At the provincial level, participants carried out various real actions, such as ‘ant operations’, cleaning areas and rivers, and maintaining and cleaning the heroes’ cemetery area, while also receiving environmental conservation education. Besides being centred at the Cikutra Heroes’ Cemetery, the Ecological Action was also held at SMAN 3 Bandung and SMAN 5 Bandung together with the Pandawara Group, as well as in 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 activities, but will continue to grow as a culture in the lives of students as a real manifestation of the ‘Cageur, Bageur, Bener, Pinter, and Singer’ character.