The Jakarta Post
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search results
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsNorth Sumatra teacher arrested over alleged sexual abuse of eight students
The case comes amid broader concerns over sexual violence against children in Indonesia. According to data from the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, Some 21,352 children experienced violence in 2025, including 12,338 cases of sexual abuse.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Illustration of child abuse. (Shutterstock/271 EAK MOTO)
A
n elementary school teacher in North Sumatra province has been named a suspect in an alleged sexual abuse case involving eight students.
The 36-year-old contract teacher, identified by police only by his initials MJH, taught Islamic religious studies at a public elementary school in Namorambe district, Deli Serdang regency.
He was detained on Oct. 27 after parents and local residents confronted him at the school, accusing him of sexually abusing their children and threatening to assault him.
Deli Serdang Police Chief Senior Commissioner Muhammad said investigators named MJH as a suspect after finding sufficient preliminary evidence linking him to the alleged offences.
"The suspect has admitted to the allegations. He told investigators that he had inappropriately touched the students during lessons since July," Muhammad said.
The case came to light in October, prompting the parents of the eight alleged victims to file a police report, he said.
Investigators have questioned all eight children, secured evidence and arranged medical examinations of the alleged victims, Muhammad said. Police are also investigating whether other students may have been abused.
