Minister of Communications emphasises AI adoption in education must align with children's readiness
Jakarta — Indonesia’s Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, has emphasised the importance of regulating the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the education sector to ensure children can utilise these technologies appropriately in line with their developmental readiness.
She stated that such regulation is a critical government step to ensure that digital technology and AI development genuinely benefits education. “Every technological advancement must consider the readiness of its users, especially children. The principle of ‘Wait Until the Child Is Ready’ that we have been promoting in our child protection policy in digital spaces can also be applied to AI adoption in education,” Hafid said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday.
The government has established joint guidelines for the use of digital technology and AI in education to ensure technology benefits the learning process whilst protecting children from various risks in digital spaces. These guidelines are formalised in a Joint Ministerial Decree from seven ministers on “Guidelines for the Utilisation and Learning of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Formal, Non-Formal, and Informal Education Pathways,” which regulates AI and digital technology use from early childhood education through higher education.
Hafid emphasised the importance of this policy given Indonesia’s exceptionally large number of internet-using children. “Indonesia has a very large number of children using the internet. Therefore, we must ensure they do not merely become targets or markets for the technology industry, but are able to use technology in line with their readiness,” she said.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno stated that such regulation is necessary to ensure technology use in education remains mindful of children’s readiness and development. “The use of digital technology and artificial intelligence for children must be done wisely, providing positive benefits whilst reducing risks. Age criteria and the child’s readiness are very important in establishing such regulations,” Pratikno said.
He explained that the younger the child, the more controlled technology use must be, including controls on duration and the types of content that can be used in the learning process.
The joint decree was signed by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti, Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Choiri Fauzi, Minister of Population and Family Development Wihaji, and Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar.