UIN Saizu Academic Urges Public to Prioritise Affection for Children
Purwokerto (ANTARA) - Muridan, an academic at the State Islamic University Prof KH Saifuddin Zuhri (UIN Saizu) Purwokerto, has urged society to prioritise affection for children as the foundation for building a generation of character and for determining the nation’s future.
“The future is not something that arrives on its own. It is nurtured every day through parental love, teachers’ exemplary conduct, society’s care, and an environment that allows children to grow up safe and with dignity,” he said in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Thursday.
According to him, various studies in developmental psychology, education, and economics show that the quality of upbringing and environment during childhood strongly determines a person’s health, character, and productivity later in life.
Therefore, a nation’s progress is measured not only by material achievements, but also by its ability to provide a safe, loving environment that supports children’s optimal growth and development.
He noted that the economist James J. Heckman’s work shows that investment in early childhood development yields the highest social and economic returns compared with educational investment at later stages of life.
“These findings reinforce that attention to health, education, and nurturing from an early age is not merely a moral value, but the very foundation of human development,” said the lecturer from the Islamic Communication and Broadcasting (KPI) programme at UIN Saizu’s Faculty of Da’wah.
He warned that cases of violence against children in Indonesia remain high. According to the 2024 National Survey on the Life Experiences of Children and Adolescents (SNPHAR), around 11.5 million children aged 13-17, or 50.78 per cent, are estimated to have experienced at least one form of violence in their lifetime.
Beyond the threat of violence, he said, digital technology has brought new challenges to child protection, such as cyberbullying, exposure to age-inappropriate content, digital exploitation, and excessive gadget use.
“Therefore, child protection must also extend into the digital space through warm communication, strengthened digital literacy, and exemplary conduct in the use of technology,” he said.
He cited the attachment theory put forward by psychologist John Bowlby, which affirms that a warm emotional bond between child and parent forms the foundation for a sense of security, self-confidence, empathy, and the ability to face life’s challenges.
Conversely, violence or neglect during childhood can leave psychological impacts that persist into adulthood.
According to him, these values align with the example of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, who treated children with gentleness and respect, as well as the thinking of Ki Hajar Dewantara, who viewed education as a process of guiding children so that all their potential develops optimally.
He stressed that loving children means not only providing for their clothing, food, and formal education, but also creating a sense of security, giving them attention, listening without judgement, building habits of dialogue, and setting an example in everyday life.