Efforts to Protect the Next Generation Amidst an Information Flood
A staggering figure may cause us to pause: 3,966,858 Indonesian children are recorded as Out-of-School Children (ATS), according to data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s ATS Dashboard as of 1 April 2026. This includes 1,913,633 children who have never attended school, 986,755 dropouts, and 1,066,470 graduates who did not proceed to the next level of education.
Nearly four million children. Data from the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), cited in discussions by Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), indicates that approximately 7ly percent of them are out of school for a reason we all understand: economics. Families are unable to bear the direct and hidden costs of schooling.
This issue does not stand alone. Data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics published in February 2026 notes that Indonesia has the lowest education budget allocation among major global economies—only 1.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far behind Vietnam (2.9%) or even Pakistan and Bangladesh, which both allocate 2 percent. Ironically, this small figure must support one of the largest youth populations in the world, with 40.2 percent of Indonesia’s population under the age of 24. The disparity between this demographic burden and the budget allocation helps explain why millions of children in this country are still excluded from classrooms.
These figures can feel distant and abstract until we witness them closely through familiar faces.
Observations Within Our Own Community
Every Monday to Thursday night, there is a sight that might escape many in our mosque: rows of worshippers crowded with children and teenagers. They do not come to play, but to study the Qur’an. They are the students of the ‘TPQ Malam’ (Night Qur’an School)—a programme organised by our mosque for children and teenagers from underprivileged families, some of whom are raised by single parents.
There are approximately 45 children, ranging from primary to secondary school, who receive educational assistance from our mosque’s Zakat Collection Unit (UPZ). This assistance provides them with the hope of remaining in school, serving as an effort to prevent them from dropping out like the hundreds of thousands of children mentioned in the ATS data. As part of this programme, there is one obligation accompanying every grant: attending the Night TPQ. They are not merely statistics on a ministry dashboard, but children whose names and families we know personally.
From Monday to Wednesday, they learn to read the Qur’an according to their respective levels. On Thursdays, secondary and high school students receive additional lessons in Aqidah, Adab (ethics), and practical Fiqh (jurisprudence) that touch upon their daily lives.
A Shaking Question
During one Thursday session, a middle school student raised his hand and asked: “What is the ruling on cryptocurrency?”
We were momentarily stunned. Not because the question was inappropriate, but because of how far it was from our perception of these sponsored children’s worlds. We imagined questions regarding the procedures of ablution or respect for parents—not digital financial instruments that even some adults do not fully understand.
However, at that point, we were realised something more fundamental: if we, as parents and educators, refuse to keep pace with the times and update our knowledge, these children will not stop seeking answers. They will simply seek them elsewhere—and there is no guarantee that those sources will align with religious principles.
A Threat Heavier Than Mere Questions
In truth, the question about cryptocurrency reflects the reality of how quickly children today access information. On the other hand, there is a real threat lurking for Indonesian children today. Data from the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) records approximately 80,000 children under the age of 10 as participants in online gambling, while the transaction value for online gambling among the 10–16 age group exceeded Rp 2.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025 alone. The true battlefield is no longer just about Islamic financial literacy, but about how our children survive the digital traps designed to ensnare them from a young age.
Ironically, this crisis runs parallel to our nation’s low literacy culture. The 2022 PISA assessment placed Indonesia between 63rd and 71st out of 81 countries in reading literacy, with a score of only 359—well below the global average of 469. Research by Central Connecticut State University even ranked Indonesia’s reading culture 60th out of 61 studied countries. A child unaccustomed to reading and critical thinking will be far more susceptible to instant temptations like online gambling—as literacy serves as the first line of defence before any other safeguards can function.
Protecting, Not Restricting
This is why we believe that programmes like the Night TPQ, no matter how small their reach, hold significant meaning. It is not merely about teaching Qur’anic recitation, but providing a space where our sponsored children receive guidance in both knowledge and faith—something their families may not always be able to provide fully due to economic constraints.
Protecting them does not mean restricting their movement or curiosity. Restricting them without equipping them will only leave them ill-prepared to face the world. What they need is correct knowledge and consistent guidance. A child with strong faith will, God willing, be able to filter for themselves what is good and what is not.