By: Junika Karmila)*
Education is the foundation for the development of civilized societies. However, in this era of globalization, the threat of radical intrusion has become a serious concern that threatens the educational world, especially among adolescents. This phenomenon is not only a national issue, but also a global one, given its impact that can undermine the social and cultural order of a nation.
Radical understanding often promotes extreme and intolerant thinking that is contrary to the values of humanity and diversity. Education should be a place where values of tolerance, cooperation, and mutual respect are developed. However, when radical understanding occupies the educational world, it can create division and conflict among pupils, teachers, and the school community. As a result, the goal of education to create a harmonious and peaceful society is threatened.
Radicalization can divert the focus of students from a healthy and productive teaching learning process. When radical understanding infiltrates the educational environment, the attention of students can be diverted from academic activities to activities that are not beneficial, even destructive. It can interfere with the intellectual and emotional development of students, which should be the primary focus of education.
The country’s educational institutions are still facing major challenges in the face of intolerance, violence, and the spread of radical terrorism. The younger generation, children, students, and adolescents, are still targeted by radical and terrorist groups.
For this reason, the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) has created various programmes to prevent radical terrorism among the younger generation. Following the Peace School program in the high school community, BNPT also called the National Campus program to target academics and students. This program is to provide public resilience in the higher education environment.
Deputy I of Prevention, Protection and Deradicalization of BNPT, Majjen TNI Roedy Widodo, at the opening of the National Campus Strengthening event at the State Islamic University (UIN) Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin (SMH), Banten, said that BNPT has a vision that is addressed in the strategic plan document. That is, “the country and society safe from the threat or criminal acts of terrorism in order to realize Indonesia advances a sovereign and personal, based on gotong royong”.
The strategic plan has a mission to provide protection for the entire nation and to provide a sense of security for all citizens from the threat of criminal acts of terrorism, including providing protection and prevention of directors aware of radicalism and terrorism to the young generation including students and students.
According to him, the BNPT has been using the entire national potential to fight the ideology of radicalism and terrorism in order to keep the young generation with the concept of Pentahelix with multi-party cooperation and collaboration involving some elements, one of which is the academics.
Pentahelix means multi-faceted. It marks the challenge of facing terrorism being on all lines. The whole party must continue to expand its penetration into all parties including the campus neighborhood through the National Campus which is now called in this Banten UIN. All parties must fight the ideology of terrorism.
This National Campus, furthermore, is one of the programmes that has been proposed by the Chief of the BNPT Commander Pol Rykco Amelza Dahniel in 2024 to be carried out at the level of colleges both public and private universities, after previously there was also a Peace School program targeting students and teachers.
The National Campus programme is important because these students are part of the young generation that is part of empowering women and young people through the Coordination Forum for the Prevention of Terrorism as a partner of the BNPT that exists in each province.
For that, it is necessary to provide supplies from individuals, neighborhoods, groups or communities, the nearest community level such as students so that later each region will create a territorial resilience that we call public resiliency.
BNPT implemented the National Campus program at the State Islamic University of Salatiga (UIN) and the Christian University of Satya Wacana (UKSW) in Salatiba, Central Java. BNPT Chief Secretary Bangbang Surono said the activities are expected to enhance the resilience of the campus, which has the agility, resiliency, and resistance to the influence of radical concepts of terrorism.
Bangbang explained that one of the forms of National Campus program that will be promoted is National Journalism. The program is the implementation of public participation in support of the assembly of terrorism.
Meanwhile, UIN Rector Salatiga Zakiyuddin welcomed the activities. He believes that the program will strengthen the role of students in building a national awareness of the dangers of violent ideology of radicalism.
Addressing the spread of radical understanding in the educational environment requires a holistic and collaborative approach by strengthening character education, raising awareness and early detection, strengthening surveillance on social media, and collaboration with the community and parents.
Radicalism is a serious threat to the educational environment and the future of adolescents. By understanding the dangers posed and adopting appropriate precautions, we can protect the younger generation from this destructive influence. An inclusive, tolerant and open-minded education is the key to building a peaceful and prosperous society.
)* The author is a student of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences
