Jakarta, Ministry of Education and Culture – SEAMEO BIOTROP launched the Geopark Educational Model for School (GEMS) through a Regional Webinar and National Training entitled Geoparks as Living Laboratories in Rinjani-Lombok UNESCO Global Geopark, July 28-31, 2026. This program develops geoparks as living laboratories to support contextual learning based on biodiversity, agrobiodiversity, local culture, and sustainable development.
The regional webinar was attended by 82 participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, while the national training involved 44 teachers and education staff from various schools in the Rinjani-Lombok region. These activities aimed to strengthen educators' capacity to utilize local potential as a learning resource.
SEAMEO BIOTROP Director Edi Santosa stated that GEMS is a significant milestone in connecting schools with the richness of geodiversity, biodiversity, agrobiodiversity, culture, and local knowledge. Through this approach, students are encouraged to gain hands-on learning experiences through field observations, practical work, and community interactions.
The Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Province Teachers and Education Personnel Center (BGTK), Wirman, praised the initiative. He stated that GEMS aligns with the national education direction, which encourages contextual learning while fostering environmental stewardship.
"The GEMS approach encourages teachers to utilize the environment as a learning resource while fostering students' awareness of the environment. We hope the results of this training can be implemented effectively in schools, especially around the Rinjani-Lombok UNESCO Global Geopark area," he said.
SEAMEO BIOTROP Deputy Program Director Doni Yusri explained that GEMS was developed to bridge the potential of geoparks with the learning process in schools. "Through GEMS, we want to encourage schools to see geoparks as real learning spaces. The experience in Rinjani, Lombok, is expected to serve as a model that can be developed and replicated according to the characteristics of geoparks in other regions," he said.
For four days, participants participated in classroom and field learning, including vegetation analysis, identification of invasive species, cultivation of medicinal plants, highland horticulture, GIS-based mapping, field observations, and preparation of GEMS implementation action plans.
The initial implementation experience in Rinjani, Lombok, is expected to serve as a foundation for the development of GEMS in various geoparks across Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Through collaboration between schools, local governments, geopark managers, and various stakeholders, geoparks are expected to increasingly serve as living laboratories that strengthen education, environmental conservation, and sustainable community development.*** (Author & Documentation: SEAMEO BIOTROP Team)
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