Ahmad Fikri (Kontributor), Jakarta The Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, has issued a circular prohibiting teachers from administering physical punishment to students at school. He emphasized that the sanctions against students should be oriented towards learning, not physical punishment.
"If a child makes a mistake, it is sufficient to provide educational punishment, such as cleaning the yard, painting walls, cleaning windows, or managing waste. Physical punishment is not allowed as it carries legal risks," Dedi said, as quoted from the West Java Public Relations press release on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
The Secretary of West Java, Herman Suryatman, stated that the circular has been distributed to all educational units. The prohibition of physical punishment towards students in the circular is addressed to all levels of education, from elementary to high school, including madrasas. He argued that the disciplinary approach to students should be changed from being based on disciplinary punishment to being educational and character-building.
"The resolution of children's issues should be educational. The goal is to solve problems without creating new ones. If there is punishment, it must be educational, not harmful," Herman said, as quoted from the West Java Public Relations press release on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Herman stated that the prohibition of physical punishment is considered to shape the character of children in the digital era when the influence of social media is increasingly strong. "Children nowadays have unique dynamics. The approach cannot be harsh but must be pedagogical. If not educated properly, the influence of social media may outweigh the advice of teachers or parents," he said.
The issuance of the circular prohibiting physical punishment towards students follows the viral case of a teacher at State Junior High School 2 Jalancagak, Subang, which was reported to the police by a student's parent. The case ended peacefully through discussions.
"This case will not proceed to the legal domain. There is no need for criminal reports or compensation. If every school issue is reported to the police, teachers will lose their authority," Dedi Mulyadi said in the West Java Public Relations press release on November 7, 2025.
In the case that occurred on Monday, November 3, 2025, Rana Saputra, a teacher at State Junior High School 2 Jalancagak Subang, reprimanded and slapped a 16-year-old student, ZR, after the flag-raising ceremony. The student was said to have repeatedly violated school rules. A video of the mediation between the teacher and ZR's parent, Deni Rukmana, went viral on social media.
Dedi Mulyadi called on all parties involved in the case and reached an agreement to resolve the matter in a familial manner. On that occasion, he stated that violent actions cannot be justified in the educational process. Discipline must be enforced firmly but remains educative. "Teachers should not be afraid to enforce discipline, but should not use violence either," he said.
During the meeting, Dedi Mulyadi asked ZR's parent to make an agreement to ensure good parenting for their child. If the student is found to violate discipline rules again in the future, the parents agree for their child to undergo character development in a military barracks.
Previously, Dedi Mulyadi promised to protect teachers as long as their goal is to educate and not harm students, and pledged to provide a lawyer if needed. "I will certainly protect the principal and teachers as long as there is no behavior that harms students, and the goal is to educate. Truth must be upheld. We have also prepared a lawyer through a legal aid program," he said in the West Java Public Relations press release on Wednesday, November 29, 2025.