Ministry of Religious Affairs Issues Circular Limiting Mobile Phone Use in Schools for Teachers and Students

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia has issued a circular limiting the use of mobile phones or handphones (HP) in schools under the Ministry's jurisdiction.

The circular, number 19 of 2026, was released to foster a safe and comfortable learning culture, enhance learning concentration, and improve social interaction among students.

It also aims to protect students from the negative impacts of improper gadget use, establish a healthy, safe, wise, and responsible digital culture, and optimize the use of digital technology to support learning.

“We do not want to distance children from technology. What we want to build is the ability to use technology in a healthy, safe, wise, and responsible manner. Gadgets can still serve as learning tools, but their use must be directed and proportional,” said Kemenag Secretary General Kamaruddin Amin in a statement on Friday (18/9/2026).

This new regulation prohibits students from using gadgets within the educational unit unless directly instructed by the teacher for learning activities.

Gadgets may only be used before or after class hours, or in emergency situations with permission from the teacher or homeroom teacher.

The provisions also apply to teachers and education staff, who are forbidden from using gadgets during teaching activities if such use is unrelated to the learning process.

Educational units must provide lockers or designated storage areas for gadgets in every classroom and teacher’s room.

Teachers or homeroom teachers may also collect gadgets at the start of the lesson and return them to students when school ends, with devices turned off or set to airplane mode.

Schools are also asked to provide official channels for urgent communication needs with parents.

The policy of limiting gadget use will subsequently be incorporated into the school's regulations without any element of violence, with sanctions that are educational and proportional.

Preventing Bullying

Kamaruddin explained that improper gadget use can disrupt students' learning concentration and the quality of social interactions among students.

The digital space also carries risks of exposure to cyberbullying, negative content, and various forms of technology misuse.

“Schools must be safe and comfortable spaces for children to learn and interact. We want to reduce distractions during lessons while protecting them from risks of digital bullying, harmful content, and inappropriate internet use,” Kamaruddin said.

“Therefore, this rule also prohibits access to, storage of, and dissemination of violent content, pornography, gambling, digital bullying, hoaxes, as well as other content that endangers children,” he added.

Students and teachers are also prohibited from taking, storing, or uploading photos and videos that violate the privacy or dignity of others without permission.

Parental Involvement

The circular also directs parents or guardians to limit gadget use at home to a maximum of two hours per day outside of study time.

Parents are encouraged to activate parental controls, including age restrictions on content, restrictions on app purchases or downloads, safe search features, and screen time management.

According to Kamaruddin, accompaniment is an important part of this policy.

Parents should not only limit device usage duration but also need to communicate with their children about their activities in the digital space.

“Building healthy digital habits cannot be left solely to schools. Parents need to be present, engage in dialogue with children, model wise gadget use, and provide alternative activities so children do not become dependent on digital devices,” Kamaruddin explained.