The growing presence of digital technology in the lives of school-age children has brought new challenges, from excessive screen use to exposure to harmful digital content and the risk of cyberbullying. In response, a lecturer at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta's Faculty of Education and Teacher Training (FITK), Dr. H. Zamakhsari, M.Pd., has stepped up education on children's mental health and digital literacy through a Community Service (PkM) activity.

The activity, titled “Student Mental Health: Educational Psychology in the Implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Administration (PP TUNAS),” was held at MI Ma'arif Bego, within the Pangeran Diponegoro Islamic Boarding School complex in Maguwoharjo, Depok, Sleman, on Sunday, August 9, 2026. Around 200 participants took part, including 5th and 6th grade students, parents, and teachers.

Through this activity, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta demonstrates the role universities can play in bringing scholarship beyond the walls of academia and applying it to real community needs. The educational-psychology approach brought by Dr. Zamakhsari forms part of a broader effort to build shared awareness of the importance of mental health, alongside children's ability to navigate the digital environment.

Head of MI Ma'arif Bego, Sri Indah, S.Ag., M.Pd., welcomed the activity, expressing hope that education on device use could help students build healthy digital habits while maintaining good mental health and character.

“Our hope is that all students will have good mental health, noble character (akhlakul karimah), and wisdom in using their devices, so they can avoid addiction,” she said.

In his presentation, Dr. Zamakhsari emphasized that protecting children in the digital space cannot be the school's responsibility alone. Parents hold a strategic position in guiding their children, particularly in choosing and monitoring the content and digital activities their children engage in.

According to him, parents need to carry out three main steps: selecting, monitoring, and educating around the content their children access.

“Parents are expected to take three steps: selecting, monitoring, and educating around the content their children access. Open communication, agreed-upon limits on device use, and getting familiar with the platforms their children use are also essential,” Dr. Zamakhsari explained.

This kind of guidance becomes increasingly important because children's interaction with technology affects not only their academic life, but also their psychological and social development. For that reason, digital literacy needs to be built hand in hand with mental health literacy.

Students, meanwhile, were introduced to a number of simple habits for healthy digital behavior. They were encouraged to think before sharing, to speak up if they experience or witness cyberbullying, and to protect their health by turning off their devices at least an hour before bed.

Dr. Zamakhsari explained that successfully implementing child protection policy in the digital space requires the involvement of three key elements. First, the state, through regulation and policy. Second, schools, through education and strengthened digital literacy. Third, families, through guidance and building healthy device habits at home.

“These three pillars have to work together. Regulation provides direction and protection, schools build knowledge and skills, while the family remains the primary space for guiding children in their daily lives,” he explained.

This PkM activity forms part of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's broader contribution to strengthening the relationship between universities and the community. Knowledge developed on campus is brought forward to respond to real issues faced by society, including the challenges of education and children's mental health in the digital era.

A similar activity was previously held at SD Negeri Lemahputih, Sedan District, Rembang Regency, Central Java, on August 1, 2026. Head of SDN Lemahputih, Juri, S.Pd., expressed hope that this kind of education could help children in rural areas continue to have the opportunity to grow and achieve, even amid a changing digital landscape.

“Even though we're in a rural area, our children continue to achieve and grow into people who make a real contribution,” he said.

For UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, faculty involvement in community service activities like this reflects the university's role as a partner to the community in facing social and technological change. The interdisciplinary approach connecting educational psychology, mental health, character education, and digital literacy also strengthen UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta's image as a university that develops knowledge in an integrated way and delivers real impact.

This contribution also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, through strengthening awareness of children's mental health, and SDG 4: Quality Education, through the development of digital literacy and education that supports children's holistic growth.

In addition, education on safe, responsible, and ethical digital behavior contributes to building a safer and more inclusive social environment, in line with the spirit of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Through faculty community service across various educational institutions, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta continues to strengthen the role of universities as both centers of knowledge production and agents of social change. This effort reaffirms that the value of knowledge is measured not only by academic achievement, but also by how far that knowledge can reach and provide solutions for society.

Dr. H. Zamakhsari, M.Pd. is a lecturer at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta's Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, whose academic focus is on educational psychology and children's mental health. (humassk)