Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment: Orientation Required Before Students Enter Islamic Boarding Schools

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment (Menko PM) Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar stated that students must receive orientation on their rights before commencing education at Islamic boarding schools to avoid manipulation. “The students, before starting at the pesantren, must receive orientation on their rights so they cannot be manipulated,” said Menko Muhaimin Iskandar in Jakarta on Friday. He made this statement in response to a case of sexual violence at a pesantren in Pati Regency, Central Java. In addition, students should also receive education on danger signs and physical boundaries to prevent manipulation by adults. “I request that local governments build an ecosystem of socialisation for all students. The problem of this occurring (sexual violence) is due to a lack of awareness of their personal rights. They are naive about their rights and the essence of undergoing education,” said Muhaimin Iskandar. The victims are generally still in junior high school, classes VII to IX. Some of them are orphans or children from poor families who rely on free education at the pesantren. Pati Police have named the suspect with initials AS. However, AS repeatedly failed to attend investigator summons. Investigators finally succeeded in arresting the suspect in Wonogiri, Central Java, on Thursday (7/5).