Human Development Challenges

Adolescents are an indication of quality and competitive human development. Apart from being physically healthy, teenagers must also have healthy life skills.

Healthy life skills include the ability to recognize one’s own character, empathize with others, make the best choices, solve problems constructively, and think critically and creatively, as well as having good interpersonal skills, which include emotional and stress control. Essentially, adolescents must be psychologically and socially healthy.

However, it is saddening to hear about the recent cases of student violence in Bogor, West Java, and in Tegal, Central Java (Kompas, 15/3/2023; Kompas.id, 13/3/2023). Though these incidents do not reflect the general behavior of teenagers, we cannot help but ask: What is wrong with our youth? It is not the first time this has happened. Student brawls often occur, some leading to fatalities.