Jakarta – The government will incorporate educational material on the prevention of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) phenomenon into school curricula starting this year.
This was announced by the Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs, Romo Muhammad Syafi'i, as cited on the Ministry of Religious Affairs' official website.
He described the move to introduce material preventing the spread of LGBTQ into the curriculum for the 2026/2027 academic year as a follow-up to Presidential Regulation Number 111/2025 on General Policy on National Defence.
The LGBTQ prevention material will be integrated into the existing curriculum for students ranging from the fourth grade of elementary school (SD) through to junior (SMP) and senior high school (SMA).
"The target for this curriculum integration is students starting from the fourth grade of elementary school, as well as those at the SMP and SMA levels", Syafi'I explained in an article published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Wednesday July 22.
"The material will not discuss the specific practices of its spread in the field in minute detail. The focus is on providing children with an understanding so they do not get involved in the LGBTQ cultural movement, while also equipping them with the mindset to act as a safeguard against falling into the LGBTQ lifestyle", he added.
He explained that the material would also include explanations regarding the various forms of its spread which is considered to occur in society as well as the international level. The hope, he said, is that students will gain a sufficient understanding of how to respond to the issue.
Citing the same source, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs (Menko PMK), Pratikno, stated that the policy's implementation is based on Presidential Regulation Number 111/2025, which classifies the LGBTQ as a form of non-military threat.
Therefore, said Pratikno, inter-agency and inter-ministerial cooperation and coordination are being intensified to realise this initiative.
"Therefore, we will continue to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies, including among others the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Communication, as well as various institutions that organise educational units. This coordination also extends to the Ministry of Social Affairs, which runs People's Schools, as well as other technical ministries that oversee official schools", he stated.
DPR's response
Earlier, the House of Representatives (DPR) through the commission overseeing education warned the government to exercise caution and wisdom when incorporating LGBTQ prevention material into the curriculum, particularly for elementary schools.
Commission X Deputy Chairperson Lalu Hadrian Irfani noted that the material must be simple and take into account children's developmental stages.
"If the intention is to provide education regarding health, the development of puberty, and mutual respect, as well as to explain that every child has the right to protection from bullying and violence, then that can be part of age-appropriate education", Irfani said last Wednesday as quoted by Detik.com.
He also asked that the prevention material be based on facts and consider the children's developmental context. Nevertheless, he expressed the view that sexual orientation cannot be prevented through the curriculum.
In his opinion, education should instead focus on character building. Aside from this, he said, it is also important to create a safe school environment for children. (tim/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Pemerintah Targetkan Materi Pencegahan LGBTQ Masuk Kurikulum Tahun Ini".]
