Kendari Government Promotes Digital Literacy and Child Protection Regulation to Students

The Kendari City Government, through its Communication and Informatics Office (Diskominfo), is conducting a socialisation programme on digital literacy and the PP Tunas regulation for junior high school students. The programme focuses on educating students about the safe, smart, and responsible use of digital technology, as well as the recent restrictions on social media access for children under 16.

Head of the E-Government Division at Diskominfo Kendari, Hery, stated that the initiative aims to enhance students’ understanding of navigating the digital space productively while avoiding its potential dangers. “Through this activity, we are providing digital literacy education to students while also inviting teachers and parents to jointly supervise children’s internet and social media use,” Hery said on Friday.

He explained that the socialisation is based on the Mayor of Kendari’s Circular Letter, which serves as a foundation for all parties to educate and limit social media use among children to support their development. “The substance of the PP Tunas and the Mayor’s Circular is to strengthen child protection in the digital space by restricting social media access for children under 16,” he added.

Hery further noted that digital literacy is a crucial asset for the younger generation, enabling them to use the internet productively while avoiding risks in the digital realm. The programme was conducted at several state junior high schools in Kendari, including SMP Negeri 1, SMP Negeri 2, SMP Negeri 3, SMP Negeri 4, SMP Negeri 5, and SMP Negeri 13. “We hope that collaboration between schools, families, and the government can create a healthy digital ecosystem, allowing students to use information technology as a means for learning, creating, and developing their potential positively,” he concluded.