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Govt could expand program sending troublesome students to military barracks: Minister
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West Java governor Dedi Mulyadi (third left) talks with some students when inspecting a character and discipline training at a military education in West Bandung regency, West Java on May 5, 2025. Hundreds of students from various regions across West Java who are found of involved in street brawls, motorbike gangs and addicted to online games undergo an intensive training led by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel for at least 14 days. (Antara/Abdan Syakura)
T
eenage students who skip class or play too many video games could land themselves in military bootcamp if a disciplinary pilot project rolled out in one province this month proves successful, a government minister told AFP on Friday.
More than 270 teenage students in West Java deemed troublesome have been shipped to military barracks under a scheme launched this month by the governor, local media reported.
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai praised the project, and has thrown his support behind rolling out the program nationwide.
He reiterated his support for expanding the program across the country to AFP on Friday.
"If it is successful from a human rights perspective […] meaning education is taking place properly and correctly as well as good improvements in mental capacity, competence, discipline and responsibility, then it can be done nationwide," he said.
The program aimed to encourage a lifestyle change for students in the province, said governor Dedi Mulyadi on Thursday after observing that many stay up late playing video games, skip school or have been involved in altercations.
Read also: Govt mulls expanding militaristic character training for ‘delinquent' students
Dedi explained that the military’s involvement in the program was because of its experience in building character, adding that the students were still receiving their education while staying at the barracks.
The program will be rolled out across the province in stages and only admit students if their parents approve, Dedi added.
"We will not admit children without parental consent," he told reporters on Thursday.
Read also: Critics slam militaristic character training for ‘delinquents’ in West Java
Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of rights group Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), said the West Java government's program was a "wrong policy" as the military education and training units were not a place to educate students.
"The purpose of putting students to military education and training units is to give punishment. This is clearly wrong because it is not based on the criminal law process for children," Andrie told AFP.
"We doubt that this program can be run effectively."
He also said the program was a form of "invasion of 'militarism'" in the civilian realm, particularly for students.
