Ministry of Religious Affairs Temporarily Halts New Student Admissions at Pati Pesantren
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has temporarily closed new student admissions at Pesantren Ndolo Kusumo in Pati, Central Java, due to alleged sexual violence perpetrated by a pesantren caregiver. The ministry stated that this decision was made alongside the legal process of the case, which has advanced to the investigation stage.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs demands that this sexual violence case be thoroughly investigated. “We request that the suspected perpetrator of sexual violence at Pesantren Ndolo Kusumo be prosecuted. We do not tolerate any acts of sexual violence, especially in religious educational institutions,” said Director of Pesantren Basnang Said in a written statement on Saturday, 2 May 2026.
Basnang explained that the Ministry of Religious Affairs has sent a letter to the Central Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to temporarily halt new student registrations at the pesantren during the ongoing legal process.
The pesantren will only be permitted to reopen new student admissions once all issues have been fully resolved, and there is assurance that the caregiving system, child protection, and institutional governance at the pesantren meet the established standards.
In addition to halting registrations, Basnang added that the Ministry of Religious Affairs also recommends dismissing any teaching staff or caregivers at the pesantren suspected of sexual violence.
The pesantren is requested to appoint a new caregiver with the capacity, moral integrity, and readiness to fully perform caregiving and student mentoring functions around the clock.
“If the pesantren does not comply, the Head of the Central Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs may propose the deactivation of the pesantren’s registration certificate to the Directorate General of Islamic Education as evidence of negligence in providing safe and secure caregiving,” Basnang stated.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs assures that the government will oversee this case to its conclusion. All ministry apparatus are said to proactively coordinate with the Pati City Police Resort, the Provincial Child and Women’s Protection Technical Implementing Unit, and the Pati Regency Social Service for Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, and Family Planning.
The alleged sexual violence implicating a pesantren caregiver in Pati Regency previously went viral on social media after the Pati Police raised the case status to investigation. The number of victims is reported to be 30-50 people. The incidents occurred from 2024 to 2026.
Member of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives Selly Andriany Gantina, who oversees pesantren matters among others, revealed that the majority of victims are orphans. According to her, the victims had reported to the police since 2024, but the reports were only followed up in the last few days.
“With 50 female students as victims, mostly orphans, this indicates a systematic failure in child protection within religious education environments,” she said, as quoted by Antara on Sunday, 3 May 2026.