Graduates of the IPB University Premarital School Program in Rawa Panjang Village
After completing 12 intensive sessions, 75 participants of the Premarital School Program in Rawa Panjang Village, Bojong Gede District, attended their graduation ceremony on February 16. The event was officiated by the Acting Regent of Bogor, Bachril Bakri, accompanied by the Secretary of IPB University, Professor Agus Purwito.
The Premarital School is a collaborative program between the Human Resource Development Center (P2SDM) of IPB University and the Bogor Regency Government through the Office of Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control, and Family Planning (DP3AP2KB).
Dr Yulina Eva Riany, a faculty member at IPB University, explained that the Premarital School is designed for adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. The program does not aim to prepare participants for immediate marriage but rather to equip them with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding the right time to marry.
She elaborated that the curriculum consists of 12 topics, beginning with marriage from a religious perspective, followed by discussions aimed at encouraging young participants to delay marriage until they are at least 19 years old.
“The program also highlights the risks of marrying before the age of 19. Additionally, we strengthen their capabilities by providing information on parenting, communication, and interaction skills for their future married life,” Yulina explained.
Dr Yulina added, “Furthermore, we equip these adolescents with knowledge in family financial management, entrepreneurship skills, and life skills, including utilizing digital media as content creators. The goal is to empower them to focus on personal growth rather than rushing into marriage.”
According to Acting Regent of Bogor, Bachril Bakri, this program would be highly effective if implemented on a large scale across all districts and could serve as a model for other regions in Indonesia.
“The early marriage rate in Bogor Regency remains high and is a contributing factor to stunting cases. The Premarital School can help reduce early marriage rates,” Bachril stated.
He emphasized that if the program is widely implemented throughout Bogor Regency this year, he is optimistic that the stunting rate in the region will continue to decline. Furthermore, the initiative could serve as a benchmark for other areas.
The graduation ceremony was attended by the Chief of the Human Resource Development Center (P2SDM) of IPB University, Dr Amiruddin Saleh, the Chief of DP3AP2KB, the Chief of the Cibinong Religious Court Office, the District Chief and Forkopimcam of Bojong Gede, the Chairman of the Bojong Gede Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Chief of Rawa Panjang Village, and the participants of the Premarital School. (*) (IAAS/RUM)
