Indonesia is drawing a clear boundary around artificial intelligence in schools: AI may enter the classroom, but it is not meant to replace the thinking process of students. The government has now restricted instant AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude for students from elementary through senior high school.
The policy does not amount to a total ban. Instead, it aims to stop young learners from becoming dependent on quick answers that could weaken critical thinking, while still leaving room for carefully chosen educational uses.
A measured restriction, not a blanket ban
The new direction was set out in a Joint Decree signed by seven ministries on 12 March 2026. The document provides guidelines for the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence in education.
Under this framework, the government is focusing on limiting access to instant AI applications for everyday study use among basic and secondary education students. Officials see the risk not in the technology itself, but in how easily it can short-circuit the learning process.
That is why the policy treats AI as a support tool rather than a substitute for reasoning, analysis, or independent learning. Students are still encouraged to become familiar with AI, but only within limits that match their age and learning stage.
What remains allowed in schools
Although instant chat-based AI is being constrained, AI use in education has not been shut down. The government still allows selected educational applications, including learning simulations and robotics, as part of a more structured approach.
This distinction matters because it separates responsible exposure to technology from passive dependence on it. In practical terms, students can still encounter AI in forms designed to support learning instead of providing ready-made answers.
Part of a wider digital rulebook
The school policy sits within a broader set of digital regulations in Indonesia. One of its reference points is the Ministry of Communication and Informatics Circular No. 9 of 2023 on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which emphasizes inclusivity, transparency, and personal data protection in AI use.
Student privacy also remains central under the Personal Data Protection Law. That concern is especially relevant when AI systems process information related to children.
The policy is further linked to PP TUNAS, which came into force on 28 March 2026 and bars children under 16 from accessing social media. Together, these rules show a connected approach to both digital protection and digital education.
Coding and AI still have a place in the curriculum
Even with restrictions on instant AI tools, the government is still bringing coding and AI into schools in a formal way. Starting in the 2025/2026 school year, coding and AI become elective subjects for Grade 5 elementary students, as well as junior and senior high school levels.
That move reinforces the message behind the policy: the goal is not to reject technology, but to shape how children learn it. Indonesia wants students to understand AI through structured education, not by leaning on instant responses for every task.
The balance is meant to help students master technology without losing independence in their own thinking. AI is being positioned as a learning aid, while the human mind remains the core of education.
Adjusted to Indonesia’s own conditions
The government’s approach also reflects how global AI rules are being adapted to local conditions. Indonesia is following developments in education regulation from countries such as the United States, the European Union, and China, then adjusting those ideas to fit its own system.
That adjustment helps explain why the country has chosen restriction by age and capability rather than outright prohibition. Officials want to protect children while also preserving opportunities for critical thinking to develop.
According to a joint statement from Komdigi and BHKM Kemendikdasmen, the move is intended to protect children in digital spaces while helping them learn to navigate the online world in a more orderly and guided way. In that sense, the policy is as much about forming healthy learning habits as it is about limiting AI access.
