Kemenag trains 560 students as peer educators to curb child marriage
New: 90 students from eight provinces were named National Peer Educator Ambassadors to expand outreach in schools and youth communities.
The Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs trained 560 madrasah and school students to become peer educators to help prevent child marriage through the Peer Educator program running from 2024-2026. A total of 480 students joined in 2024-2025 from Banten, DKI Jakarta, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Selatan, Lampung, Nusa Tenggara Barat, and Sumatera Utara. The program continues in 2026 with 80 students from DKI Jakarta, Jawa Barat, Banten, Jawa Tengah, and DI Yogyakarta. From the series of mentoring sessions, Kemenag also selected 90 students from eight provinces as National Peer Educator Ambassadors. Director General of Islamic Community Guidance Abu Rokhmad said the peer-to-peer approach is more effective because teenagers tend to more readily accept messages from their peers, including the risks of child marriage, reproductive health, children's rights, and communication and counseling skills.