House Deputy Speaker Urges Caution in Drafting LGBT Prevention Curriculum

Lalu Hadrian Irfani, Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives’ Commission X, has responded to plans by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to include LGBT prevention in the primary school curriculum. He cautioned that the material must be kept simple and must take children’s development into account.

“If what is meant is providing education about health, pubertal development, respecting others, and explaining that every child has the right to protection from bullying and violence, that can be part of age-appropriate education,” Lalu said when contacted on Wednesday (22 July 2026).

He also asked that the prevention material be drafted on a factual basis and with consideration of children’s circumstances.

“However, material for fourth-grade primary pupils needs to be prepared in simple language, based on facts, and taking into account the child’s stage of development,” he added.

Lalu warned of the need for caution if the intended LGBT prevention relates to identity. In his view, sexual orientation cannot be prevented through a curriculum.

“On the other hand, if what is meant is ‘LGBT prevention’ concerning a person’s identity, that needs to be explained very carefully, because sexual orientation and gender identity are not something that can simply be prevented through a curriculum,” he said.

For that reason, Lalu takes the view that education is better focused on shaping children’s character. He also said it is important to create a safe school environment for children.

“The focus of education in schools should remain on character formation, ethics, health, respect for others, and creating a safe learning environment for all pupils,” he said.

Previously, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has been preparing educational material on preventing the spread of LGBT culture to be incorporated into the education curriculum. Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Romo Muhammad Syafi’i said the material is targeted to be taught to pupils from the fourth year of primary school onwards.

The drafting of this material follows up on Presidential Regulation Number 111 of 2025 on the General Policy on State Defence for 2025–2029. The regulation states that the spread of LGBT culture falls under the category of non-military threats.

“Oh, LGBT… Well, there is Presidential Regulation 111 of 2025, in which the President said that when it comes to culture — LGBT personally is a private matter. But the spreading of it, making it a culture, that is a non-military threat to national defence,” said Romo Syafi’i at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday (20 July).

Romo Syafi’i explained that under the regulation, LGBT is not targeted at individuals, but rather at the culture of its spread. For that reason, the ministry has begun preparing material to be inserted into the curriculum.

“So the President is not attacking individuals, but the culture of its spread. That is a threat to national defence. That is why the Ministry of Religious Affairs is drafting a curriculum, which will later be inserted into the existing curriculum,” he said.

According to Romo Syafi’i, the material will eventually be integrated into the learning curriculum starting from fourth-grade primary pupils. He explained that the learning material has now been fully compiled and is in the finalisation stage before being incorporated into the curriculum.

“Providing understanding from primary level, perhaps starting from grades 4, 5, and 6. Then junior secondary years 1, 2, and 3. Senior secondary years 1, 2, and 3. Hopefully, with that, they will understand how dangerous the spread of LGBT culture is,” said Romo Syafi’i.

“We are refining this now. All the material has been collected and we are refining it, after which it will be inserted into the ongoing curriculum,” he continued.