Marak Anak Sekolah Terjerat Judol, Komisi X DPR Tekankan Pentingnya Pendidikan Digital

Cash evidence was shown in the disclosure of the online gambling case (judol) at the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police Headquarters, Jakarta, Saturday, November 2, 2024. (ANTARA PHOTO-Rivan Awal Lingga)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission X DPR RI My Esti Wijayanti highlighted the phenomenon of the increasing number of school children who are entangled in online gambling (judol). He also emphasized the importance of digital-based character education in the midst of times.

According to Esti, this phenomenon is not just a local event, but an overview of the digital literacy crisis and the weakness of social supervision in the midst of digitalization.

"When a junior high school student gets to know and is entangled in judol and loans (online loans), it means that there is something very wrong in the way we educate and guide the younger generation," Esti told reporters, Wednesday, October 29.

The chairman of the House of Representatives commission in charge of education affairs said that digital literacy in schools is currently still theoretical and has not yet touched the root of the problem. In fact, said Esti, what is needed is how children are able to recognize the manipulative pattern on digital platforms and understand the financial and psychological risks that accompany them.

"The current character education must be reformulated into digital risk-based character education. So that children from an early age understand the real consequences of online behavior such as online gambling, microtransaction, and digital loans," he explained.

Esti revealed that there were various reports of incidents regarding school children who were exposed to judol. The latest thing that is being discussed is the case of junior high school students in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) who were involved in online loans (pinjol) to finance gambling addiction.

This case was revealed after the student was absent from school for a month because he felt embarrassed. Esti also felt sad about the incident.

"Kasus di Kulon Progo harus menjadi contoh tentang basang pendidikan dan keluarga kita yang mulai lembung menghadapi tantangan dunia digital," ungkap Legislator dari Dapil DIY itu.

Meanwhile, based on data from the PPATK (Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center) report in 2024, more than 197,000 children were involved in online gambling.

The Attorney General's Office data also shows similar information. As of September 12, 2025, online gambling actors come from various levels of society ranging from elementary school children (SD), farmers, to homeless people. The AGO said children gambled online starting from playing small slots.

Related to this, Esti assessed that the involvement of children in judol cannot only be seen as a moral failure of individuals. According to him, this is a consequence of an educational system that is not yet adaptive and is still too oriented towards academic results alone.

"Today's school is still busy preparing children for exams, not to survive in a digital world full of algorithmic traps and behavioral commercialization," said Esti.

Apart from school, control and assistance to children in the home environment and social activities are also considered important. Because many cases show children access gambling sites using their parents' accounts or data.

"The state must admit that digital literacy is not just the ability to use gadgets, but the ability to read the dangers behind the scenes. Instilling self-control and digital awareness from an early age is important to anticipate the crisis of national character in the future," said Esti.

Furthermore, regarding character education, Esti gave an example of Japan's success in implementing it from an early age. Even in Japan character education is the first thing that is taught in schools.

"In Japan, children entering elementary school have not been taught calistung, but learn character first. About maintaining cleanliness, helping each other, learning good adaptation as capital for living life. So we can see the attitude or manner of Japanese society who highly uphold ethics. We often see Japanese citizens who do not hesitate to throw away trash from others when they see it, such as in sports matches, including outside their country," he explained.

According to Esti, when a child has a strong character education, his academic education will follow. Therefore, he considered, character education will also help children dispel unfavorable activities, such as judol.

"So character education must be the basis in the education system in Indonesia. Because character education becomes the capital in forming the custom of each individual, and everything must start from the children, from elementary school early days," he concluded.