To Address the Post-Pandemic Surge in Early Marriages, Australian Alumni Partner with the Bondowoso Regency Government to Immediately Update the SEKOPER PKH Curriculum

BONDOWOSO Post-COVID-19 pandemic social challenges in Bondowoso Regency have spurred swift action from academics and practitioners. In response to a sharp spike in early marriages which has coincided with a slowdown in regional economic growth number of alumni from Australian universities are now preparing to launch an advanced community service program by strengthening the curriculum of the School for Women’s Quality of Life Improvement (SEKOPER PKH) in Bondowoso Regency. Based on direct field observations, the impact of the pandemic has increased the number of people living in poverty in Bondowoso to 110,240 and driven the unemployment rate up to 19,473 people in 2020. These economic impacts have triggered an alarming social domino effect: a surge in cases of early marriage exemptions at the Bondowoso Religious Court. The number of child marriages skyrocketed by 709 percent, from just 133 cases in 2018 to 1,077 cases in 2020. This figure is predicted to be even higher if unofficial “siri” marriages—which are not officially recorded—are included. In response to this emergency, the initiator of SEKOPER PKH—who is also an alumnus of an Australian university and a senior advisor to the Regent of Bondowoso—has forged a strategic collaboration. This community service initiative aims to incorporate early marriage prevention materials into a nonprofit educational program for housewives who are recipients of social security benefits. "The issue of early marriage in Bondowoso is highly complex, ranging from local theological understandings regarding post-puberty to fears of social stigma. The consequences are devastating, triggering a new cycle of poverty, domestic violence, divorce, and a surge in stunting cases. Through this community service initiative, we are seeking global financial support via the Australian government’s Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS) to integrate this prevention curriculum on a large scale,” said the head of the implementation team during a program preparation coordination meeting. Since its inception in 2018, the SEKOPER PKH program—operated under the guidance of the Bondowoso Social Services Agency and the Regional Research Council (DRD)—has achieved remarkable success. This non-formal school, run by more than 200 volunteer teachers and PKH mentors, successfully reduced the stunting rate from 38.2 percent to 12.3 percent in 2020, earning it the award for the most innovative program from the Regent of Bondowoso in December 2021. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that the critical issue of preventing early marriage has not yet been incorporated into the core curriculum for the 63,062 girls enrolled as students. For the new 2022–2023 school year, the community service team is working to develop up-to-date teaching modules on the prevention of early marriage, marriage laws, mental health, and reproductive health. To ensure the quality of the materials, the team is collaborating with the Bondowoso Education Board, the Health Office, the Education Office, the Ministry of Religious Affairs office, and several local NGOs. The implementation of this program will begin with a Training of Trainers (ToT) for volunteer teachers, followed by close monitoring during the first semester of implementation. Through strong synergy between the international alumni network and the local government, this community service initiative is expected to protect poor families in Bondowoso from the latent dangers of child marriage, thereby ensuring a brighter future for the next generation.