A Community Service Team from Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) held an event titled “Fostering Entrepreneurial Spirit Among Science Teachers and Students in Tegal Regency Through the Utilization of School Organic Waste for Compost Production” on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at SMPN 1 Adiwerna, Tegal Regency.
The activity was led by Dr. Bambang Subali as team coordinator, accompanied by team members Dr. Ellianawati, M.Si., Dr. rer. nat. Listyanto, M.Sc., Ridho Adi Negoro, M.Pd., and Natalia Erna Setyaningsih, S.Pd., with support from student volunteers serving as facilitators. The event involved 50 science teachers from various regional clusters in Tegal and was attended by the Head of the Tegal Regency Science Teachers Association (MGMP IPA), Agus Kurniawan, M.Pd.
The training focused on developing practical and entrepreneurial skills in organic waste management, particularly utilizing the abundance of fallen leaves commonly found in school environments. The participating teachers engaged in hands-on compost-making activities, including sorting leaf types, shredding, and mixing materials with a specific ratio of EM4 (Effective Microorganisms), water, and sugar.
Although the compost produced during the session was only 15 days old and not yet fully matured, the teachers demonstrated strong creativity by experimenting with various factors, such as the types of leaves used and different treatment methods to influence the composting process. The preliminary results were presented through infographics to facilitate analysis and documentation of the process.
This leaf-based compost product has shown not only its potential as a contextual science learning resource but also as an opportunity for environmentally friendly school-based entrepreneurship. The program has inspired teachers to begin managing organic waste at school productively while fostering environmental awareness.
“This program is truly eye-opening. Teachers are not just facilitators of learning, but also drivers of environmental and sustainable economic initiatives in schools,” said Agus Kurniawan, M.Pd., Head of the Tegal Regency MGMP IPA, who also expressed high appreciation to the UNNES Community Service Team.
It is hoped that the compost production efforts initiated through this activity will continue to grow and serve as a model for environmental education and sustainable school entrepreneurship across Tegal Regency.
