Support the Development of Esports, Mobile Legends Will Be Included in the School Curriculum in Surabaya Starting Next Academic Year

Kapanlagi.com - The video game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is reported to be included in the school education curriculum as a non-academic (extracurricular) activity in the capital of East Java Province starting from the upcoming new academic year. This news was announced directly by Tri Endang Kustianingsih, Head of the Teacher and Educational Personnel Division of the Surabaya City Education Office, during the opening session for the MLBB Teacher Ambassador program on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

The plan to add the game developed by Moontoon Games into the subject matter is considered an innovation that can serve as a tool for educational learning. The Surabaya City Government is also known to have fully supported this program because through the character values of the game, students can gain new knowledge in addition to academic education.

"The target is probably the new academic year because the teachers have been trained to create new learning strategies, so they also need to know that there is educational learning involved. What kind of educational games will be emphasized to the teachers (and) to our children," said Endang, as quoted from the official website of the East Java Communication and Information Office.

See also: The Meaning of ML or Mobile Legends, Also Learn How to Play and Other Terms in This Online Game

1. Efforts to Change Negative Perceptions of Society Towards Esports

Mobile Legends has entered the curriculum of schools in Surabaya. (credit: BlueStacks)

The Head of the Game Ecosystem Development Division at Moonton Games, Erina Tan, added that teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels are targeted to become intermediaries for positive change in schools through the utilization of games as a constructive learning medium. This aligns with the mission to change the negative stigma surrounding gaming habits among children.

To date, esports is one of the fields that is often underestimated by society. Many believe that a person's future is unclear simply because they focus on the world of games. In fact, games are a medium that can help expand connections and create a space for creativity for children.

According to Erina, a well-managed game is one that can serve as a 'bridge' for children to understand technology, collaborate, and solve problems. Thus, a game can also play a role in channeling someone's talents in a professional field—something that is not widely recognized by society through formal education.

2. The Positive Side of Games for the Young Generation

Mobile Legends is included in the curriculum of Surabaya schools. (credit: Screen Score)

The Deputy Governor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, stated that online games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang can have a positive impact in educating the young generation to have discipline, sportsmanship, and strong social skills if directed properly. The negative perception surrounding video games, which is still deeply rooted in the surrounding environment, also needs to be reassessed because, in reality, games have the potential to help young people channel their talents and eventually work in that field.

"So far, we only know that playing games is not educational and even unproductive. However, through this program, we believe it can enhance the quality of education not only in Surabaya, but also in Indonesia and provide opportunities for the young generation to pursue careers in the esports industry in the future." Eri concluded.

The inclusion of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang as a school extracurricular is considered in line with the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum and coding that is being designed by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikdasmen). Endang also noted that students can gain enjoyable learning experiences if video games can serve as a means of character education while positively supporting their achievements.

3. Background of Choosing the City of Surabaya

Mobile Legends is included in the curriculum of Surabaya schools. (credit: ONE Esports)

Surabaya has been designated as the city to implement the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang program as part of the school curriculum. This is based on data held by Moonton Indonesia indicating that the Surabaya area has a high number of player accounts for this game. Therefore, the capital of East Java Province is considered ready to realize its innovations.

"We see the readiness of a region as well, that East Java, especially the city of Surabaya, is ready to bring more up-to-date innovations and developments in the digital and AI fields. Hopefully, this program can further advance innovation for all ages." Erina added.

4. Need for Further Supervision

Mobile Legends is entering the curriculum of schools in Surabaya. (credit: Ambisius Wiki)

Although it sounds very enjoyable, the innovative breakthrough in the field of education still requires serious supervision according to the views of several experts. Lukman Hakim, an IT expert from Muhammadiyah University of Surabaya, stated that some studies linking games with children's behavior show the potential emergence of negative behaviors, such as neglect of studies, addiction, and aggressiveness.

Quoting from the UM Surabaya website, parents and schools are emphasized to always accompany students to prevent them from falling into negative aspects that may arise from the implementation of the extracurricular Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Education on digital ethics is also very important to provide before the program takes place, accompanied by the application of a well-structured curriculum.

"With the right curriculum approach, Mobile Legends can serve as a gateway to introduce students to the world of technology and the creative industry in a relevant and engaging way." Lukman stated.

(kpl/rtr)