‘Tip of the iceberg’: Indonesian teen’s death spotlights rising bullying trend in religious schools

Bintang Balqis Maulana, 14, was reportedly beaten by four senior students over three days, in an incident that has sparked outrage across social media

Activists say authorities appear ‘toothless’ when handling ‘pesantren’ bullying cases, urge government to take concrete steps to end school violence

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Muslim students at an Islamic boarding school in Central Java, Indonesia. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 5 Mar 2024

The death of a teenage student at a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) has horrified many in Indonesia and highlighted a rising trend of violence and bullying in the country’s schools in recent years, with some warning the number of reported cases is just “the tip of the iceberg”.

Bintang Balqis Maulana, a 14-year-old student at the Al Hanifiyah pesantren, in Kediri, East Java, died on February 23, reportedly after being severely beaten. Four senior students aged between 16 and 18 have been taken into custody by the police and subsequently declared suspects in his murder.

“From our reconstruction of the case, we have learned the victim was the recipient of repeated beatings over the course of three days,” Kediri Police Chief Bramastyo Priaji said on February 29.

Students at a “pesantren” read the Koran during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Medan, Indonesia. Photo: Reuters

The death of the teenager from Banyuwangi town has provoked outrage across social media, where Indonesians have been venting their anger, largely towards the four perpetrators but also at the school management.

“So furious the pesantren folk feign innocence in all this! They were at the very least negligent!” wrote Facebook user Renaldi Saputra.

Surabaya resident Lucky Anwari, 35, said he was shocked by a video clip on social media showing the state of Bintang’s body.

“The bruises and injuries were there for all to see, and yet his school initially told his parents he had taken a fall in the bathroom and even asked them not to uncover his shroud before burial.”