Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to Restrict Device Usage in Schools
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is preparing a series of rules restricting device usage for students in schools as part of the implementation of Government Regulation (PP) No. 17 of 2025 on the governance and management of electronic systems for child protection, or the “Wait Until Child Is Ready” (Tunas) regulation.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti stated that his ministry has issued Ministerial Regulation No. 6 of 2026, which governs the implementation of a safe and comfortable school culture for children.
“We are taking this step to build a school culture where an atmosphere of mutual respect and support for successful learning develops, and to make the school a second home for children,” said Mu’ti following a coordination meeting on Tunas PP implementation at the Office of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
According to Mu’ti, the regulation is part of supporting the government’s policy restricting the use of social media and devices for children under 16 years of age.
In its implementation, the ministry is introducing a 3S concept to regulate the use of digital devices in the school environment. The first concept is screen time—regulating the duration of device usage by students to prevent excessive use. The second is screen break—the practice of resting the eyes and body after using digital devices for a certain period. The third is screen zone—an agreement regarding specific areas in school where device usage is permitted or prohibited.
“Screen zone establishes an agreement about which areas allow or do not allow bringing and using devices,” said Mu’ti.
Additionally, the ministry has prepared guidelines for the use of digital technology for teachers and parents. These guidelines form part of character education and efforts to promote responsible technology use among students.
Mu’ti added that his ministry will send letters to schools to assist with socialising the Tunas PP rules and implementing the device usage restriction concept.
The government is targeting the child protection policy in digital space through Tunas PP to begin effective implementation on 28 March 2026, exactly one year after the regulation was signed by President Prabowo Subianto.