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Creating a safe, comfortable and inclusive educational environment through PPKSP
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he Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) issued on Aug. 8, 2023 Regulation No. 46/2023 on the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Educational Units (PPKSP), to serve as a critical foundation for creating a safe, comfortable and inclusive learning environment for all.
One of the key aspects of the PPKSP Regulation is the establishment of a violence prevention and handling team (TPPK) at each educational institution. From the regulation’s launch until Oct. 10 this year, 404,956 educational units (93.71 percent) have formed an in-house TPPK. Additionally, local administrations have formed PPKSP task forces, including 27 provincial task forces (71.05 percent) and 441 district/municipal task forces (85.79 percent).
“The formation of TPPK and [PPKSP] task forces is an excellent first step in the effort to prevent and address violence in the education sector. Moving forward, the fight to prevent and handle violence is a continuous task that we will pursue together,” Suharti, the ministry’s secretary-general, said recently.
The formation of regional PPKSP task forces and TPPK at educational institutions ensures a swift response to potential incidents of violence. The educational ecosystem taking an effective role in preventing and addressing violence is essential to realizing a safe, comfortable and inclusive learning environment at schools nationwide.
Sri Lestari, principal of SMPN 1 Bintan state junior high school in the Riau Islands, shared best communication practices through PPKSP campaigns and actions.
"The impact is significant, namely openness and courage to report violence-related information. The peer tutoring principle in conveying a lesson provides comfort and quick understanding among students," she said.
However, forming TPPK and PPKSP task forces is not enough on their own. Strengthening the capacity of all stakeholders is crucial to the successful implementation of violence-free educational units. Through the emancipated teaching platform, or PMM, educators can access various modules on how to prevent violence, including bullying, sexual violence and intolerance, with around 1 million teachers engaging in the self-learning platform.
Since 2023, the education ministry has also involved national and regional facilitators from diverse backgrounds to conduct training sessions using its violence prevention and handling modules. These training sessions are held in collaboration with the ministry as well as various child protection organizations and communities.
This year, the ministry enhanced the capacity building module on handling violence in educational settings for representatives of PPKSP task forces and TPPK nationwide. This involved the ministry’s Technical Implementation Units (UPT) and Regional Technical Implementation Units for Women's and Children's Protection (UPTD PPA), and was facilitated by civil society organizations focusing on child protection and diversity.
Rante Hattani, who heads the South Bolaang Mongondow Education Office in North Sulawesi, noted that the PPKSP Regulation encourages making real paradigm shifts in local administrations and schools.
"Looking back before the PPKSP Regulation, the school security climate [section] of our Education Report was in the alert [level]. But our efforts have paid off with the implementation of the PPKSP policy and good governance support, and we’ve seen a tangible paradigm shift in local governments and schools. Our district’s Education Report is now green," said Rante.
Working together to eliminate violence
The education ministry has collaborated in implementing the PPKSP Regulation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection and the Ministry of Social Affairs, as well as the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the National Commission on Disabilities (Komnas Disabilitas). This interinstitutional approach ensures that programs to prevent and handle violence are implemented comprehensively to create an inclusive, diverse and safe environment that supports optimal learning.
In collaboration with UNICEF, the education ministry launched the Roots anti-bullying program in 2021. This program targets teachers and students at junior and senior high schools and equips them with the skills to identify, prevent and address violence in educational settings. To date, the program has reached more than 33,777 educational units across 509 districts and cities in 38 provinces.
A 2022 survey on bullying conducted via UNICEF's U-Report platform revealed that 42 percent of student respondents observed positive changes at their schools as a result of the Roots program. Additionally, 32 percent of students felt that bullying incidents had decreased following the intervention.
Masayu Mutia Maharani Mufti, a Roots change agent in Banten, shared her observations of the program's impact at her school.
“After joining the Roots program, I realized that addressing and preventing violence in school must be done collectively with other students. By helping one another, the outcomes are more effective. I also realized that students who break school rules or engage in bullying deserve guidance to become better,” she said.
Recognizing the importance of a safe education environemt, the education ministry also provides a platform for reporting complaints on its website (kemdikbud.lapor.go.id). This platform allows students, parents and the public to report incidents of violence in schools.
The ministry has also made available its PPKSP Portal, which offers various classroom materials on violence prevention, including videos and posters.
Rusprita Putri Utami, head of the ministry’s Center for Character Building (Kapuspeka), said cross-sector collaboration was crucial in implementing the PPKSP policy, noting that its optimal implementation would not be possible without the support of all stakeholders.
“In this effort, we certainly cannot act alone. We always adhere to the philosophy of Ki Hajar Dewantara, which emphasizes the importance of Tri Pusat Pendidikan [three education centers] in shaping the character of our children,” Rusprita said, referring to the country’s first education minister, often regarded as the “father of education”.
“Schools, families and communities are the three key elements that must work together. Therefore, all of us, as educators, parents and members of the community, must play our respective roles in preventing and addressing violence in educational settings if we want to ensure that our children receive safe and quality education,” she said.
Through these various initiatives, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology is committed to creating a safe educational environment that supports students' optimal development. Through collaboration with all parties, it aims to minimize incidents of violence at educational institutions so every student can thrive in a comfortable, safe learning environment.
For information and educational materials on preventing and handling violence in educational institutions, visit merdekadarikekerasan.kemdikbud.go.id.
