Education Ministry warns that online gaming increases exposure to extremism
Jakarta — The Ministry of Education and Culture’s Basic and Secondary Education Directorates (Kemendikdasmen) has warned that gadget addiction and online gaming increase the risk of children being exposed to radical ideologies and extremism, underscoring the need to strengthen character education in schools.
Rusprita Putri Utami, Head of the Character Strengthening Centre (Kapuspeka) at Kemendikdasmen, said that education in the digital era presents a number of challenges to learners, which can affect their physical and mental health.
‘The challenges of education today are closely linked to the digital era. The issue, in our view, is how children experience gadget addiction. And this greatly affects their physical health, as well as their mental health,’ Rusprita said at the National Symposium 70th Antarbudaya AFS at Building A, Kemendikdasmen, Central Jakarta on Friday.
She noted that, based on data from Densus 88, the number of children exposed to radical ideologies and extremism has risen significantly through online games.
‘Data from Densus 88 shows the number of children exposed to radical ideologies and extremism has significantly increased through online games,’ she said.
Additionally, Rusprita added that children addicted to online gaming are also at risk of eye health problems from prolonged screen time.
Such conditions, she said, prompt them to reinforce character education within schools through the 7 Habits of Great Indonesian Children (KAIH) movement.
‘These seven habits may sound simple, but they are actually very powerful in shaping children’s character, from independence, self-love, understanding how to care for oneself, understanding how to respect others, understanding how to cooperate with others,’ she said.
They hope the massive implementation of the 7 KAIH across each educational unit can shape a younger generation not only adept at mastering technological advances but also wise in using them for the common good.