A 10-year-old elementary school student in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, was found dead by hanging on January 29, 2026, after being unable to afford a book and pen costing Rp10,000. The tragic incident has prompted responses from central to local governments, including evaluations of the education system and social aid. The victim's family was not receiving social assistance due to administrative issues.
The death of YBR, a fourth-grade elementary school student in Jerebuu Subdistrict, Ngada Regency, NTT, occurred on January 29, 2026. The 10-year-old boy was found hanging from a 15-meter-high clove tree, leaving a farewell note to his mother, MGT (47 years old), a single parent working as a farmer and odd jobs to support five children. In the note, written in the local language and translated to Indonesian, YBR wrote: “Mama, I'm going first. Mama, let me go. Don't cry, Mama. No need for Mama to cry and look for me. Goodbye, Mama.” The victim lived with his grandmother, and his request for a book and pen costing Rp10,000 could not be fulfilled due to financial constraints.
Naruwolo Village Head Dion Roa stated the main trigger was the family's financial difficulties. NTT Governor Melki Laka Lena called it a "system failure" at provincial to village levels, a harsh slap to development efforts. He noted the family did not receive social aid (bansos) because population data was not updated after moving from Nagekeo to Jerebuu, and ordered data fixes along with decent housing assistance.
President Prabowo Subianto has given full attention, as conveyed by State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, who coordinated with Interior Minister Tito Karnavian, Social Minister Saifullah Yusuf, and Basic and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti. Prasetyo emphasized proactive monitoring by village heads of vulnerable groups to prevent recurrences, and a review of poverty alleviation policies.
DPR Speaker Puan Maharani urged evaluation of a child-friendly education system, including mental health and fulfillment of basic needs like writing tools. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) stated child suicides in Indonesia have reached emergency levels, the highest in Southeast Asia, with factors like bullying, parenting, and economy. KPAI Commissioner Diyah Puspitarini highlighted failures in education rights and called for further investigation.
NTT Ombudsman Representative reported 145,268 Out-of-School Children (ATS) in the province, with a high dropout ratio despite lower absolute numbers than large provinces like West Java. Head Representative Darius Beda Daton pushed for free public school fees to ensure inclusivity. Kemendikdasmen 2024-2025 data shows 2,765 SD dropouts in NTT, main factors being costs, distance, and unwillingness.
