Criticism at the SMRC Survey Release
Human rights activist Jaleswari Pramodhawardani has criticized West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi's policy of sending students to military barracks. The criticism was delivered during the release of the Opinion Leaders Survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) at UIN Jakarta on Thursday (15/10/2026).
In the survey, Dedi Mulyadi scored 7 for commitment to democracy and ranked in the top 10 among 31 national figures assessed by 200 respondents made up of experts, doctors, and intellectuals. Jaleswari praised Dedi's leadership energy, but described the barracks policy as an example of a military approach entering the education sector.
She said the idea of sending teenagers involved in brawls and students deemed delinquent to military barracks was first floated by Dedi Mulyadi in May 2025. In her view, the policy is concerning because a military approach is being applied in education with little expert assessment.
Policy Running Since May 2025
The program to send troubled students to military barracks was initiated by Dedi Mulyadi early in his governorship and implemented on May 2, 2025, in several areas of West Java considered vulnerable, such as Purwakarta and Bandung. Participating students are selected by agreement between schools and parents, prioritizing those who are hard to discipline or involved in brawls and motorbike gangs.
Dedi Mulyadi insists the program is not military training but character, mental, and fitness building lasting about six months. During the program, students continue to receive formal education with lessons matching their home school curriculum, taught by teachers from their own schools.
Komnas HAM: Wrong and Needs Review
The policy had previously drawn criticism from Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM). Its chair, Atnike Nova Sigiro, judged the policy wrong and in need of review, arguing that civic education is not the authority of the Indonesian Military (TNI), especially when applied as punishment for minors.
On the other hand, Dedi Mulyadi's policy also has supporters among the public who hope the program deters misbehavior and builds better character in students. The debate over where discipline-building ends and a militaristic approach to education begins is expected to continue.
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