TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Depok City Education Agency prohibits students from celebrating Valentine's Day tomorrow. Valentine's Day celebrations considered contrary to religious, social and cultural norms in Indonesia.

Head of the Depok City Education Agency, Mohammad Thamrin, said that the ban on Valentine's Day celebration was written in the Circular Letter number 421/937/II/Peb.SMP/2020 dated February 12, 2020, which was distributed to every principal of Elementary School and Junior High School.

"The goal is to protect students from activities that are contradictive to Indonesia's religious, social and cultural norms," Thamrin told Tempo, Thursday, February 13, 2020.

Thamrin also said that the aim for this ban is for the students in Depok City not to celebrate Valentine's Day, both inside and outside the school environment.

"The principal and teachers should monitor the activities of their students," said Thamrin.

Thamrin also asked school principals and teachers and school committees to instill good attitudes and personalities to their students by preserving the noble values of the Indonesian nation's culture.

"Valentine's is not our culture," Thamrin said.

Previously, Bangka Belitung Education Office also issues the Valentine's Day ban. Head of the Bangka Belitung Education Agency Muhammad Soleh said that the celebration of Valentine's Day tend to damage the students' morals.

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra (Kontributor) | Galuh Kurnia Ramadhani (Intern Translator)