Albertus Pepi Kurniawan, Sukarjito, Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara. The death of a 10-year-old boy in Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara – one of Indonesia's poorest provinces – draws national attention to the impact of poverty and weak social support systems on children living in remote and disadvantaged areas.

The boy, identified only by his initials in line with child-protection laws, was found dead on Jan. 29 in Ngada district, a remote rural area where he lived between his mother's home and a small hut shared with his elderly grandmother. Early reports suggested he may have taken his own life after being unable to buy school supplies – books and a pen costing around Rp 10,000 (about 60 cents). Child-rights advocates, however, cautioned against reducing the tragedy to a single cause.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) said deaths involving children are almost never the result of one factor alone. Commissioner Dyah Puspitarini urged authorities to examine the broader social and psychological context surrounding the case, including family dynamics and the possibility of bullying.

"Children at elementary-school age are extremely vulnerable to social pressure," Dyah said. "Economic hardship may exist, but caregiving patterns and whether the child experienced exclusion or bullying at school must also be examined."

She warned police against closing the case prematurely, stressing that a thorough investigation is essential to prevent similar tragedies. KPAI also called for restraint in public discussion, saying that the law mandates protection of a child's identity and psychological support for surviving family members.

Dyah pointed to a similar case in Kebumen, Central Java, in 2023, where an elementary school student died after jumping into a river. The child, who also lived with a grandmother, was reportedly distressed after running out of pocket money. "The methods may differ, but the background is strikingly similar," she said. "We cannot look at this solely as a case of a child unable to buy school supplies."

Goodbye Mama

The boy in Ngada grew up in a fragile household marked by long-term poverty and the absence of his father, who left before he was born. His mother, identified by the initials MGT, 47, has struggled to raise five children on irregular agricultural work. Limited income affected both caregiving and schooling, with only two of the siblings able to attend formal education consistently.

According to local accounts, the child left behind a handwritten note addressed to his mother. "Mama, I am leaving now. Please let me go. Don't cry, Mama," the note read, written in the Bajawa local language. "You don't need to cry or look for me. Goodbye, Mama."

The boy often stayed with his grandmother, nearly 80 years old, in a 2-by-3-meter hut with bamboo walls, a dirt floor and a tin roof. "We always tried to meet his needs as best we could," she said softly.

Despite their conditions, the family was not registered as a recipient of housing aid, education assistance or other social welfare programs, according to residents and field observations.

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The Primary and Secondary Education Ministry said it was reviewing the case to determine whether there were gaps in school-based support. Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti said officials were still gathering information.

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf offered condolences and said the case highlighted the urgency of improving poverty data and outreach. "This is fundamentally about data," he said. "We must ensure our poverty data is accurate so we can reach families who need protection, rehabilitation and empowerment."

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/60-cents-short-for-a-book-and-a-pen-a-childs-death-in-remote-indonesi