Alleged serial abuse by a school founder sparks outrage, highlights weak oversight and calls for urgent reform.

The arrest of an Islamic boarding school caretaker in Central Java for allegedly abusing dozens of girls has ignited nationwide anger and laid bare systemic gaps that leave students in Indonesia’s pesantren vulnerable to sexual violence.

Protest And Arrest After Years Of Alleged Abuse
On May 2, hundreds of people poured into the village of Tlogosari in Central Java, chanting and waving banners outside the Ndholo Kusumo Islamic boarding school. Slogans such as “Women are not sexual objects” and “The Predator” were aimed at 58-year-old caretaker and school founder Kiai Ashari, who was being escorted away by police. He is suspected of sexually abusing many female students over several years, most of them orphans from poor families. Police named him a suspect on April 28, and later detailed allegations that one victim was abused 10 times between February 2020 and January 2024 at different locations, under the pretext of being asked to give him massages.

One Complaint, Dozens Of Possible Victims
Although several witnesses who initially spoke out have since withdrawn their statements, one victim has filed a formal criminal complaint. Her lawyer, Ali Yusron, told the BBC that she indicated there may be 30 to 50 victims in total. Earlier cases against Ashari date back to at least 2022. In 2024, Pati Police’s Women and Children’s Services Unit (PPA) received reports of alleged sexual crimes against teenage students, but some of those charges were later dropped after four victims withdrew their testimony. Police chief Jaka Wahyudi said families had sought to “resolve the matter amicably,” citing fears about their children’s futures, a pattern that critics say encourages impunity and silencing.

Manipulated Beliefs And Normalized Boundaries
According to accounts gathered by activists, Ashari allegedly told students he was a saint with supernatural powers, or even a descendant of a prophet, and should be obeyed and honored. Imam Nahe’i, from the PBNU Anti-Sexual Violence Unit (SAKA) and a former commissioner at the National Commission on Violence Against Women, said such cases fit a broader pattern in some pesantren. Caretakers may mix religious teaching with shamanism or mysticism and claim spiritual authority that cannot be questioned. In many schools, he noted, touching, hugging and kissing students are tolerated or normalized, and some teachers wrongly believe that only penetration counts as sexual violence, allowing a wide range of abusive behavior to go unchecked.

Weak Oversight And Legal Gaps Around Pesantren
Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs issued regulations in 2022 on handling sexual violence in educational settings, but many Islamic boarding schools are privately founded and loosely supervised. Imam Nahe’i said that existing rules “cannot control” pesantren effectively, especially newer schools that spring up with minimal scrutiny. He called for stronger regulations, mandatory task forces within boarding schools, and stricter oversight by both the ministry and local communities. Without clear governance standards and external monitoring, he warned, abusive caretakers can exploit closed environments and power imbalances for years before being exposed.

School Closure, Student Protection And Next Steps
Ndholo Kusumo reportedly had a government permit since 2021 and housed at least 252 students. In response to the allegations, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has revoked its license and ordered the school shut, sending students home and arranging online learning or transfers, particularly for orphans. Director of Islamic Boarding Schools Basnang Said said admissions will remain suspended until investigations are completed and child protection and governance standards are demonstrably met; if they are not, the school will be permanently deactivated. The ministry has also recommended that any educators or caretakers suspected of abusing students be dismissed and expelled from school grounds, and has urged pesantren nationwide to appoint staff with both competence and moral integrity to care for children around the clock.

The Tlogosari case has become a flashpoint for long-simmering concerns about sexual abuse and weak oversight in Indonesia’s Islamic boarding schools. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, it underscores that child protection cannot rely solely on personal piety or informal community pressure; it demands enforceable standards, trained staff, empowered students and families, and an external system willing to act quickly when allegations surface, so faith-based education remains a place of safety rather than fear.

Sources: BBC (2026)

Keywords: Ndholo Kusumo Boarding School, Kiai Ashari Case, Pati Police Investigation, PBNU Anti Sexual Violence Unit, Ministry Of Religious Affairs, Boarding School Closure