KPAD Accompanies Case of High School Student Violence in Bekasi, Pushes for Resolution through Mediation

Bekasi, Kompas.com – The Bekasi City Child Protection Commission (KPAD) will assist in handling the legal case involving two female students from a state senior high school in Bekasi City.

This assistance is intended to ensure that the case resolution prioritises the best interests of the children without leading to legal conflict.

KPAD Chair for Bekasi City, Novrian, stated that his organisation would involve various stakeholders, including the school, to encourage resolution of the case through mediation.

Novrian explained that KPAD’s actions are based on the fundamental principles of child protection, ensuring that every decision benefits the children’s future.

One possible solution is to promote reconciliation between the two parties through mutual forgiveness and joint positive activities.

“They can also reconcile through joint actions that bring benefits to the school,” he said.

According to Novrian, bullying cases in school environments are the tip of the iceberg, often only surfacing after causing serious impacts, such as physical violence or psychological disturbances.

He emphasised the importance of evaluating the education system, particularly the curriculum, which he believes should place greater emphasis on character building, including values of humanism, empathy, cooperation, and social concern.

Novrian also highlighted the culture of seniority in schools that can trigger violence. The hierarchy between upper and lower class students is seen as often creating unhealthy power relations.

“Seniority is acceptable, but in an intellectual context. Upperclassmen should set examples through their attitudes, ethics, and education that demonstrate they are worthy role models,” he explained.

“This paradigm must be changed. It should not be covered up to preserve image, as that could lead to bigger problems,” he added.

He further noted that schools need to have case management and good communication strategies so that every incident can be resolved comprehensively without resorting to legal processes that could potentially traumatise the children.

Regarding sanctions, Novrian stressed that punishments for bullying perpetrators should be educational and non-discriminatory. Sanctions such as suspension or social exclusion are seen as potentially causing new negative impacts.