SEMARANG: A spate of bullying cases in Central Java over the past month has raised concerns about gaps in school oversight and systemic shortcomings in efforts to protect students from violence.
At least three bullying incidents have been reported at schools across the province since September, leaving two students seriously injured and another dead.
A seven-year-old student at the SDN 1 Kebondalem state elementary school in Pemalang, Central Java, died on Sept. 30 after receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained in an alleged assault by two older students.
The second-grade student, identified only as M, was reportedly attacked about two weeks earlier after refusing to hand over his pocket money. Police identified the two alleged assailants, AAA and AKM, both aged 11, as children in conflict with the law and sent them to a social welfare institution in Magelang for six months of rehabilitation.
“Because the two children are under 12, they cannot be held criminally responsible,” Sr. Comr. Nunuk Setyowati, head of the Central Java police directorate for women and children protection and anti-trafficking, said.
She added that the programme may be extended by up to another six months if necessary and authorities will assess the children at the end of the rehabilitation period to determine whether they require further guidance, supervision or education.
Separately, a teacher and the principal of SDN 1 Kebondalem have been reported to police over allegations that they instructed M to say his injuries resulted from a fall and attempted to conceal the alleged assault.
On Sept. 29, a 16-year-old student at a government-run community boarding school (sekolah rakyat) in Pati regency was allegedly assaulted by about 14 classmates after being accused of using another student’s facial cleanser.
The student, identified as DA, suffered multiple injuries, including several broken, cracked or dislodged front teeth. He also had swelling on both sides and the back of his head, a burn-like wound on his forehead, scratch marks on his neck and bruising on his left shoulder.
The following day, a 14-year-old ninth-grade student identified as MN was allegedly assaulted in the dormitory of MTs Negeri 1 Cilacap Islamic junior high school in Cilacap regency.
About eight people allegedly took part in the attack, during which MN was struck with an object, kicked and punched. He complained of head and neck pain and had swelling at the back of his head after the assault.
He reportedly bled from his right ear, prompting his parents to take him to the hospital for further treatment.
The Federation of Indonesian Teachers Associations (FSGI) recorded 100 cases of violence in educational settings between January and September 2026, including at least 36 cases of physical violence.
Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) commissioner Diyah Puspitarini expressed concern over the series of bullying incidents in Central Java, saying they pointed to inadequate oversight by schools, education authorities and local governments.
“I think this has become an alarm, a warning sign. We hope all parties will make improvements rather than blame one another,” Diyah said on Monday as quoted by Kompas.id.
The recurring cases of alleged bullying across different levels of education pointed to systemic failures in child protection, Diyah said, adding that schools, parents and the government had all fallen short of their responsibilities.
She also criticised schools and other educational institutions for a lack of transparency and for failing to respond swiftly to reports of violence.
“The KPAI also feels that it has failed. We all need to take a hard look at what went wrong. We cannot blame any one party, because everyone has a role to play,” she said.
Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti said the ministry would continue efforts to prevent bullying by strengthening policies to foster a safe and supportive school environment.
“We are deeply concerned by the continued occurrence of bullying in schools,” Mu’ti said on Monday as quoted by Kompas.com.
He stressed, however, that preventing bullying and shaping children’s behaviour were not solely teachers' responsibility. He said families and the wider community also had a role in teaching children to respect others.
“Education cannot be left entirely to teachers at school. It also requires support from families at home and from the wider community,” he said.- Jakarta Post/ANN
