Case Of Child Fucking Cat In Tasikmalaya Is Evidence That Indonesia's Educational Ecosystem Is Still Vulnerable

An illustration of cyber bullying, as experienced by an 11-year-old child with the initial F in Tasikmalaya who was harassed by his friends to death. (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - "A week before he died, the footage spread and (he) was bullied by his friends more and more. My son was embarrassed, didn't want to eat and drink, kept daydreaming until he was taken to the hospital and died during treatment." Statement T (39) to the media crew revealed emotion. His second child, who was 11 years old, with the initials F, was depressed and died due to bullying by his friends.

In addition to being beaten, F was forced to have sex with a cat, while being mocked and recorded by the perpetrators via cellphone. The 50-second recording spread, F was getting more and more embarrassed and depressed until he didn't want to eat and drink until he had to be rushed to the hospital. F finally died on Sunday (18/7).

T learned of the tape from a neighbor a week before he died. F never wanted to tell who forced him. However, from the video there is a recognizable sound. The perpetrators were none other than his playmates in the same village, in Singaparna District, Tasikmalaya, West Java.

After the incident, the families of the perpetrators came to the house to apologize. Rice has turned into porridge, T has been sincere with the departure of his son. "I ask no more to other children," he said quoted from Kompas.com.

Cyberbullying must be prevented and stopped. (Amazon)

The case has angered the Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil.

"I strongly condemn the incident in Tasikmalaya. Principals, teachers, must take full responsibility because parents send their children to school to be educated," said Kang Emil, the governor's nickname, told reporters, Thursday (21/7).

He asked the authorities to impose sanctions on the perpetrators of bullying so that there is a deterrent effect and minimize the recurrence of similar incidents.

"The consequences for those who commit even though they are still minors are of course with the principle of propriety, but there must still be lessons for those who do," he added.

Kang Emil also reminded parents to always instill the value of etiquette in their children. “At home, parents are teachers. At school, teachers are parents.”

The Role of Teachers and Parents is Still Weak

The number of cases of child bullying accompanied by physical and psychological violence in Indonesia is still high. KPAI data recorded that 1,138 cases occurred in the 2021 period, which included persecution, murder, and victims of brawls. The perpetrators are generally people known to the victim such as friends, neighbors, teachers, and even parents.

This is evidence that the role of teachers in schools, parents at home, and the environment is still weak in creating an educational ecosystem.

However, said education observer Dian N. Paramaartha, bullying is the responsibility of all education stakeholders. "Teachers and principals, students, parents need to join hands, work together to stop and prevent it."

Especially at this time, the motive for bullying is getting wider through the presence of digital devices such as mobile phones. According to social media practitioner from Komunikonten, Hariqo Wibawa Satria, parents must understand the consequences of giving cellphones to children, especially children under 13 years old.

Case F is a lesson that cyber bullying can bring down mental and psychological trauma.

"We have a responsibility to protect children from acts of violence or bullying. In this digital era, providing understanding and examples of how to use social media wisely and respect others is important," he said, quoted from Kompas.com, Thursday (21/7). .

The Importance of Moral Education

On the other hand, the lack of empathy education should also be a concern for teachers and parents. This is of course related to moral understanding. Sukma Foundation's Director of Research and Publications, Ratno Lukito in his writings in Media Indonesia, assessed that moral education should be an inseparable part of the educational process, anywhere and at any level.

Moral values are Conditio Sine Qua Non of educational subjects in any field, both science and technology and social humanities.

The essential meaning of moral education is basically ethical education so that students are able to follow good principles in life.

"The content of this education is in the form of the main principles needed to support the continuity of life, such as honesty, truth, sympathy for goodness, and so on," he said.

The head of the Tasikmalaya KPAID, Ato Rinanto, along with members of the Singaparna Police, the Tasikmalaya Police, visited the home of an 11-year-old bullying victim who was forced to have sex with a cat by his friends in Tasikmalaya, Wednesday (20/7/2022). (Doc. KPAID Tasikmalaya)

As one of the agents of change, schools of course have a very essential role for the development of moral values. Through a curriculum system and good learning methods, moral education carried out in educational institutions can be a very solid door for students to develop their moral intelligence abilities.

When society is crowded with various forms of crime, violence, terrorism, hoaxes and hate speech, moral education will be able to help students face various forms of difficulties without having to break away from the values of goodness and virtue.

“There is no doubt that the strongest foundation of community building is individuals who behave in accordance with good moral values. The stronger one's moral values, the stronger the community building will be," he said.