How Effective Is Dedi Mulyadi's Ala Curfew Rules To Prevent Teenagers From Being Infectious?

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi while reviewing the character and discipline education program at the Rindam III Siliwangi State Defense Dodik, Lembang, West Bandung Regency, West Java, Monday (5/5/2025). (ANTARA/Abdan Syakura/bar)

Since serving as Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi has continued to be the talk of netizens on social media because of a number of his policies. Most recently, Dedi Mulyadi has imposed a curfew for students.

The curfew rule is contained in the Circular Letter of the Governor of West Java Number 51/PA.03/Disdik, which stipulates that from 21.00 to 04.00 WIB students are prohibited from leaving the house. This rule will take effect on June 1 last.

However, this curfew is excluded for students who take part in official school or educational institutions, as well as students who are participating in religious and social activities in the residence with the knowledge of their parents or guardians.

Students who are out of the house with their parents or guardians, are in an emergency or disaster condition, and other conditions to the knowledge of their parents or guardians also receive dispensation in the curfew rules.

Like the other Dedi Mulyadi rules, the implementation of a curfew for students also reaps the pros and cons.

For some people, this policy can limit student activities that are often involved in dangerous activities such as brawls. But on the other hand, the curfew rule in West Java is claimed not to really touch the root of the problem.

The plan to determine the curfew rules was first leaked by Dedi Mulyadi when he attended a public lecture on Cultural Values and Governance of Government at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Indonesia on 27 May.

"Later in the new academic year, we want to emphasize that children who are students. Remember, their student status is when they leave their house until 9 pm," said Dedi.

One of these rules was implemented after a brawl between elementary school students in Depok on Saturday, May 10, 2025. This brawl involved several students in Scout uniforms and other groups in free clothes.

This curfew has actually been implemented by Dedi Mulyadi when he was still the Regent of Purwakarta. But at that time what was limited were the partners, both young and old, not to date after 9 p.m.

But about curfews for students who aim to prevent juvenile delinquency, this is the first time this has been made in Indonesia.

Abroad, a Finnish city that applies curfew rules for students. The goal is to improve children's welfare and strengthen the relationship between parents and children at night.

In Laitila, children aged 7-12 years had to be in Umah starting at 19.30 in school days. Meanwhile, children over the age of 13 are allowed to stay out of the house until 21.00 on school days.

This limit gets concessions on weekends, with a curfew to 20.30 for children aged 7-13 years and 23.00 for children over the age.

Many parents support curfew rules. Those who agree hope that the regulation will reduce crimes such as robbery, motorcycle gangs, and brawls. Because it needs to be admitted, there are still many student age groups who roam at night to do negative things.

The Education and Teacher Association (P2G) considers the policy of the Governor of West Java to set restrictions on activities for students starting at 21.00 pm as a concrete and anticipatory step to provide positive space for children's psychological growth and development.

The implementation of sleep hours or prohibition of activities for children above nine o'clock at night also builds family responsibilities in educating and guiding children, as stated by Iman Zanatul Haeri as Head of P2G Teacher Advocacy Division.

"This will build an independent study room at home, the values of the family to talk to each other at that time. In fact, this policy is a form of real implementation of the Ministry of Education and Culture's policies regarding the Seven Habits of Indonesian Children Great, including Fast Sleep and Learning Gemar," said Iman, in a statement received by VOI.

Iman added that the curfew rules can prevent children from doing stay-up activities that will interfere with their growth and development, not taking other negative actions that will interfere with study and rest time so that they get quality of life and excellent health because their hours of sleep are sufficient and quality.

Medically, the ideal sleep hours for children aged 6-12 years are 9-12 hours, while for children 13-18 years old are 8-10 hours.

Meanwhile, according to Ubaid Matraji, the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), the curfew in West Java, did not really touch the root of the problem.

According to Ubaid, if a curfew is applied to mourners to reduce juvenile delinquency, then this rule will actually lead children to fall into other problems.

Implementation of curfew rules without careful study will cause new problems, such as addiction to online games, pornography, and gambling. To plunge children, said Ubaid, you don't have to leave the house at night, because children can do anything at home.

"How many children have actually become damaged from inside their homes?" said Ubaid.

The juvenile delinquency solution is not enough just to apply a curfew, according to Ubaid's opinion. That's because juvenile delinquency is very complex.

"Don't blame anything for the child. A bad boy means the child's cause, then the child who is sanctioned. It shouldn't be like that," said Ubaid.

In the Child Protection Law, it is already illustrated that children have different characteristics from adults. This means that the solution to overcoming juvenile delinquency should not be done by making children the cause of inequality.

In fact, the solution to overcome juvenile delinquency such as brawls and alcohol content is to eradicate the root of the problem, for example eradicating the sale of liquor and drugs.

"Policies don't seem like creating content. If you make a policy, the formula must go viral first, yes, that's it. Don't think what the impact will be," he said.