PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Bandung City Government (Pemkot) together with students, teachers, parents, and the Bandung City Children's Forum declared a joint commitment to establishing a National Child Protection Program in educational units.

This declaration is a concrete step to ensure that children in Bandung City grow up in a safe and violence-free learning environment.

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan said this step is not an easy task, but it must be started together.

"We are declaring this national program because protecting children is no easy task. It must begin with a collaborative effort, from the government, public and private schools," said Farhan after attending the Child-Friendly School Declaration at Taruna Bakti School on Friday (October 10, 2025).

He acknowledged that several cases of violence still occur. This declaration is important to strengthen everyone's commitment to preventing violence in schools.

"This declaration doesn't mean that cases no longer exist. In fact, because they still exist, we need a collective commitment to addressing them seriously," he said.

According to him, every child has the right to receive protection and a sense of security wherever they learn and grow.

"Our children must be protected by schools, parents, the government, and all parties involved in the world of education in Bandung City," he said.

Head of the Bandung City Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Agency (DP3A), Uum Sumiati, explained that the most common form of violence in educational institutions is psychological violence.

"The sequence of violence against children begins with psychological, then physical, and then sexual. In school settings, the majority of cases involve psychological violence," he said.

He added that the perpetrators of violence in educational units vary.

"The perpetrators can be educators, but there are also fellow students," he said.

Of all cases of violence against children in Bandung City, approximately 10 percent occur within educational settings. Through this declaration, the Bandung City Government aims to continue reducing this figure until there are zero cases of violence in schools.

"The ultimate goal is, of course, to reduce cases of violence to zero. The most important thing is that every case that occurs must be handled properly," he said.

In handling cases, Uum explained, if violence occurs in a school environment, the first handling is carried out by the TPPK Task Force (Violence Prevention and Handling Team) in the educational unit.

"If the incident occurs at school, the TPPK Task Force at that school will handle it first. However, if it occurs outside of school, it can be reported to us at the UPTD PPA. If necessary, we will also assist with legal proceedings," he said.

He said that a joint commitment between the government, schools, and the community is an important step in building a school culture that respects and protects children.

"We've only reached the willingness stage. After this, we must move to the ability stage and progress. Today's commitment provides a strong foundation for that," he said. (Bandung City Communications and Information Office/UPI)