Jakarta school blast exposes failure to support mental health


FILE PHOTO: Bomb squad officers stand guard at the entrance of a school in Jakarta on November 7, 2025. A blast injured dozens of people near a school in Indonesia's capital on November 7. Police revealed that the suspect behind the blast had long struggled with mental distress and feelings of neglect.- AFP

JAKARTA: The recent explosion at SMAN 72 Kelapa Gading state high school in North Jakarta has sparked alarm over the education system’s failure to address mental health issues, after police revealed that the suspect behind the blast had long struggled with mental distress and feelings of neglect.

Police identified the suspect as a 17-year-old “introverted” student who acted out of months of pent-up resentment toward his surroundings. The teenager reportedly had no safe outlet to express his emotions, feeling isolated and neglected both at home and at school, Jakarta Police general crime director Sr. Comr. Imam Imanuddin said during a livestreamed briefing on Tuesday (Nov 11).

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