Minister Arifah: Education Must Be a Space That Empowers Children

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi stated that education must become a space that empowers children. “Every child has the right to feel safe, valued, and supported in their optimal development. Education must be an empowering space while ensuring no child is left behind. Education is not only a means to acquire knowledge but also a growth space that protects children from violence, discrimination, and psychological pressure,” she said in Jakarta on Saturday. She made these remarks during a national dialogue themed “Synergy for Child Protection in Education: Movement for Child-Friendly, Safe, and Comfortable Educational Units”. Her office conveyed that child protection in educational environments, particularly in digital spaces, requires cross-sector collaboration between the government, schools, families, and society. However, such restrictions must be accompanied by digital literacy and active parental guidance. “Children need the presence of parents, warm communication, and positive activities offline to grow healthy both physically and mentally. Even when navigating the online world, parental supervision is absolutely necessary,” she said. Strengthening child protection in digital spaces is currently reinforced through Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP Tunas), Presidential Regulation No. 87 of 2025 on the Roadmap for Online Child Protection (Perpres PARD), as well as other child-related education policies developed jointly with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.