Indonesia Revokes License of 252-Student Boarding School Over Abuse Claims Against Caretaker
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Indonesia Revokes License of 252-Student Boarding School Over Abuse Claims Against Caretaker
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs permanently revoked Ndholo Kusumo boarding school's license, shut the campus and sent its 252 students home after mass sexual abuse allegations against caretaker Kiai Ashari.
Students will continue through online classes or transfers, with special arrangements for orphans, while new admissions stay suspended until child protection, caregiving and governance standards are verified.
Ashari, 58, was named a suspect on April 28 and arrested on May 6 after fleeing; one formal complaint alleges abuse 10 times between 2020 and 2024, and a lawyer said 30 to 50 girls may have been victimized.
The case has reignited scrutiny of Indonesian Islamic boarding schools, where advocates say weak oversight, withdrawn testimony and deference to caretakers have let abuse persist despite 2022 anti-sexual-violence rules.
When 'amicable resolutions' silence child victims, what does justice truly mean for students in Indonesia's boarding schools?
How can students be safe when predators are revered as saints in thousands of unregulated religious schools?
Breaking the Silence: The Ndolo Kusumo Case, Systemic Failures, and Indonesia’s Child Protection Crisis in Religious Schools
Overview
The Ndolo Kusumo scandal began when a female student, FA, confided in her father about alleged abuse, leading to a medical examination and a formal police report. This report triggered an official investigation, during which AS, the caretaker of the Islamic boarding school, failed to appear for questioning. Police planned a second summons but ultimately arrested AS on May 7, 2026, as a suspect in the sexual assault case. Following the arrest, AS was charged under the Child Protection Act and the Sexual Violence Crimes Law, facing a potential maximum sentence of 15 years. The school’s operational license was revoked to protect students.