Joint Decree of 7 Ministers of 2026 Regulates the Utilization of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence in the Provision of Education

Introduction

Joint Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 400.1-492 of 2026, Minister of Religious Affairs Number 211 of 2026, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Number 2/KB/2026, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Number 1/M/KB/2026, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Number 117 of 2026, Minister of Population and Family Development/Head of the National Population and Family Planning Board Number 4/SKB/F1/2026, and Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Number 2 of 2026 on Guidelines for the Utilization and Learning of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Formal, Non-Formal, and Informal Educational Pathways (“Joint Decree”) was promulgated on March 12, 2026. This Joint Decree aims to encourage the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence in the provision of education in a safe, ethical, wise, and responsible manner.

Based on the Considerations section, this Joint Decree aims to support the provision of quality education and provide guidelines for the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence while respecting child protection. This Joint Decree also serves as a reference for education units and relevant parties in utilizing digital technology and artificial intelligence in accordance with the principles of safety, ethics, and responsibility.

Key Provisions

Content Moderation Obligations for Electronic System Providers

Pursuant to Annex Chapter IV letter E points 3 and 6, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is tasked with enhancing the capacity of the content moderation system through coordination with Electronic System Providers (Penyelenggara Sistem Elektronik, “PSE”) to ensure the implementation of moderation policies responsive to child protection and the strengthening of notice and take down obligations for content that violates the provisions of laws and regulations, as well as monitoring PSE compliance regarding personal data protection on learning platforms.

Security Standards for Educational Technology (EdTech) Products

Pursuant to Annex Chapter V letter B, digital technology and artificial intelligence used in learning at the Early Childhood Education (Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, “PAUD”) level must guarantee child safety and security and feature child protection measures (child-safe by design). Systems and application products must provide built-in protection features (child-safe by design) which include parental controls, screen time monitoring, and online interaction restrictions. In addition, technology providers must implement data security measures and user authentication to support the protection of child privacy.

Transparency in the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education Institutions

To support transparency in technology utilization, higher education institutions have the right to request technology providers (vendors) to publicly disclose the limitations and reliability levels of the data used as the operational basis for the artificial intelligence products being utilized. This provision is regulated under Annex Chapter VII letter A point 2 letter b.

Personal Data Protection and Restrictions on Algorithm Training

Technology providers are prohibited from excessively collecting or processing the personal data of students. Specifically for the PAUD level, learning products and services must guarantee student privacy by not using students' personal data for artificial intelligence training without the consent of the student's parents/guardians, as stipulated in Annex Chapter V letter B point 4.

Prohibitions on Prohibited Content within the Digital Ecosystem

Digital platform providers must ensure that the services they operate do not contain content that could harm students. The provisions in Annex Chapter II letter C identify several types of content that are inappropriate for the educational environment, including:

1. Physical, psychological, and sexual violence, pornography, and sexual exploitation.

2. Hate speech (ethnicity, religion, race, and inter-group relations), gambling, hoaxes, and discriminatory content.

3. Promotion of addictive behavior, including the abuse of hazardous substances, alcohol, and tobacco.

4. Violations of user privacy as well as misleading deepfake content or violations of intellectual property rights.

User Age Limits and Platform Access Duration

Digital products and services intended for children under 13 (thirteen) years of age must be designed with a low risk level and provide a parental consent mechanism prior to use. This provision is specifically regulated in Annex Chapter VI letter H point 1 letter a for the primary education level and point 2 letter a for the secondary education level. Additionally, digital services for the Early Childhood Education (PAUD) level are intended for children aged at least 3 (three) years. Its utilization must also be limited to a maximum of 30 (thirty) minutes per session or a maximum of 60 (sixty) minutes per day, as regulated in Annex Chapter V letter A.

Cooperation in the Utilization of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Higher education institutions and non-formal education units, including training centers, are encouraged to establish cooperation with industrial parties. Such cooperation may encompass technology development, educational activities, research, and other programs that support the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence in education, as regulated in Annex Chapter VII letter E and Annex Chapter VIII letter B.

Procurement of Educational Technology Infrastructure

Regional governments and education units are encouraged to formulate procurement plans for basic infrastructure, computing hardware, and internet network access, as regulated in Annex Chapter VI letter I. This provision underscores the importance of the availability of supporting facilities and infrastructure in the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence within the educational environment.

Prohibition of Commercialization in the Implementation of Digital Platforms

Education providers and technology service providers are prohibited from making the mandatory use of digital platforms a basis for collecting fees from students or students' parents/guardians if such levies violate the provisions of laws and regulations. This rule is regulated in the SEVENTH Dictum letter b.

Adjustment of Learning Features Based on Educational Levels

Learning features and materials based on digital technology and artificial intelligence must be adjusted to the needs of each educational level, as regulated in Annex Chapter VI letter A.

1. Elementary Schools/Islamic Elementary Schools/Equivalent: Focused on the introduction of computational thinking, social interaction ethics, as well as the history and fundamentals of digital technology and artificial intelligence, as regulated in Annex Chapter VI letter A.

2. Junior High Schools/Islamic Junior High Schools/Equivalent: Focused on strengthening digital literacy, the ability to identify false information (hoaxes), and an understanding of digital footprint security.

3. Senior High Schools/Islamic Senior High Schools/Vocational High Schools/Equivalent: Focused on artificial intelligence programming, advanced data analysis, and the development of innovative projects.

Adjustment of Assessment Features to Artificial Intelligence Usage Zones

Educators are required to explicitly communicate the policy on the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence in every type of assignment or assessment by adopting a utilization level model (Usage Zones), as regulated in Annex Chapter VI letter E.

1. Red Zone (Prohibited): The utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence is strictly prohibited, and students must work independently without the assistance of such technology.

2. Yellow Zone (Limited with Rules): Students are permitted to use digital technology and artificial intelligence for certain stages under clear conditions; however, the final product must be the student's original work.

3. Green Zone (Recommended with Reflection): The utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence is recommended as part of assignments to train human-machine collaboration and develop critical thinking skills.
   

Transitional Provisions

This Joint Decree took effect on its date of issuance, namely March 12, 2026, as regulated in the EIGHTH Dictum. In addition, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is authorized to impose administrative sanctions in the form of access termination (blocking) or other actions in accordance with the applicable regulations against PSEs that fail to fulfill their obligations, as regulated in Annex Chapter IV letter E.

Closing

The Joint Decree of 7 Ministers of 2026 regulates the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence in formal, non-formal, and informal educational pathways by emphasizing the aspects of safety, ethics, and child protection. In its implementation, PSEs and technology providers must pay attention to the application of content moderation policies, the protection of students' personal data, the provision of child protection features, and restrictions on the use of children's activity data for the development of artificial intelligence systems. This Joint Decree also regulates user age limits and the duration of digital service usage for early childhood, transparency in the use of artificial intelligence technology within higher education environments, the adjustment of learning and assessment features based on educational levels, and the prohibition of collecting fees based on the mandatory use of digital platforms. Furthermore, this regulation encourages cooperation in the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence as well as the strengthening of educational technology infrastructure. This Joint Decree took effect on March 12, 2026, and PSEs and relevant parties must ensure compliance with the regulated provisions, including those related to child protection, personal data protection, and the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence in the provision of education.