The Policy Takes Shape

The controversial programme was initiated by West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi [West Java is Indonesia’s most populous province, home to over 48 million people], who began sending students deemed “difficult to manage” to military facilities in May 2025. The scope of this militarisation became clear when 39 junior high school students were sent to the 1^st Sthira Yudha Field Artillery Regiment in Purwakarta, whilst 30 students attended military school at the Siliwangi Rindam III regiment in Bandung [both cities in West Java province].

Alarmingly, Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has thrown his support behind the initiative, stating: “Yes, we ask the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry to issue a regulation so that this can be implemented massively throughout Indonesia, if it’s good”. Pigai’s endorsement signals potential nationwide expansion of what human rights organisations view as a fundamental violation of children’s rights.

Targeting Vulnerable Youth

The criteria for sending students to military barracks reveals the discriminatory nature of this policy. According to Mulyadi, the programme targets students who have been having sex outside of marriage or are indicated to have committed criminal acts. However, the definition of “problematic” has expanded alarmingly.

In Cianjur regency [also in West Java], local authorities have explicitly included LGBT+ students in their targeting. Cianjur Regent Dr. Muhammad Wahyu stated that students who show indications of being LGBT with the characteristics of being “limp wristed” will also be in the category of those who are to be sent to the barracks for guidance.

This targeting of LGBT+ youth represents a particularly egregious violation of human rights, effectively criminalising sexual orientation and gender identity whilst subjecting vulnerable young people to military-style “correction” programmes.

Human Rights Concerns

Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) [a prominent Indonesian NGO focused on human rights monitoring] has strongly condemned the policy. Director Ardi Manto Adiputra argues that the plan is “not just a concrete form of militarisation of the civilian sphere, but also contrary to human rights principles”.

Imparsial highlights the fundamental inappropriateness of involving the military in civilian education, particularly given the TNI’s [Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Indonesian National Armed Forces] recent track record of violence. As Adiputra notes: “in a period of just [the last] six months, the TNI has a track record of violence that has been repeatedly displayed before the public”.

Democratic Degradation

This militarisation of education represents what Imparsial describes as “an attitude of civilian inferiority towards the military which at a certain stage is dangerous for civilian life and democracy”. The policy fundamentally violates Indonesia’s own educational laws, particularly Article 4 paragraph (1) of Law Number 20/2003 on the National Education System, which requires education to be “organised democratically and fairly and without discrimination while upholding human rights”.

The involvement of military forces in civilian education undermines the separation between military and civilian spheres that is essential for democratic governance. This is particularly concerning in Indonesia, where the military [known as ABRI during the Suharto era] historically played an oppressive role in politics and society.

International Context

This development comes amid broader concerns about Indonesia’s democratic trajectory under President Prabowo Subianto [former military general who took office in October 2024], who has faced criticism for his military background and past associations with human rights violations during Indonesia’s authoritarian period [1966-1998 under President Suharto].

The targeting of LGBT+ students also contradicts international human rights standards and reflects Indonesia’s broader crackdown on sexual and gender minorities. Despite not criminalising homosexuality at the national level, Indonesia has seen increasing persecution of LGBT+ individuals through local regulations and vigilante actions.

The Way Forward

Imparsial has called for immediate action, urging Mulyadi to “halt the planned policy to involve the TNI in the development of troublesome students” and asking the Minister of Home Affairs to prevent the programme’s expansion. Militarising education and targeting vulnerable youth violates fundamental human rights principles and undermines the democratic progress Indonesia has made since 1998.

Rather than military-style “correction,” young people facing challenges need proper psychological support, inclusive education programmes, and policies that address root causes of social problems. The path Indonesia appears to be taking - sending children to military barracks based on their perceived behaviour or identity - belongs to an authoritarian past that should never be repeated.

As Adiputra warns: “Don’t let it be that instead of students’ behaviour changing for the better, the TNI’s coaching policy actually reinforce the culture of violence among students”. Indonesia must choose between the democratic values it has fought to build and a return to military dominance over civilian life.

Mark Johnson