Junior High School Student in West Lombok Forced into Early Marriage Wishes to Continue Education

A young girl forced into an early marriage by her parents in Sekotong District, West Lombok, wishes to continue her education. The child, who is still officially enrolled as a second-year junior high school (SMP) student, was married off after her father discovered she had been out late with her boyfriend.

Arief Suryawirawan, head of the West Lombok Social, Women’s Protection and Child Agency (Dinsos PPA), stated that his team visited the child on Friday (19/6/2026) and found her in good condition. “We went down there on Friday. We stressed that the most important thing is that this child does not drop out of school. And she wants to go back to school,” he said on Tuesday (23/6/2026).

Arief noted that the child does not currently require psychological support but the agency will continue to monitor her and conduct assessments to ensure her mental well-being. He also urged the public not to stigmatise or judge the child, as the marriage was not her choice. “She was forced into marriage by her parents. She hadn’t actually done anything wrong. She just came home late and her hair was messy, possibly because she wasn’t wearing a helmet,” he explained.

Regarding the marriage itself, Arief acknowledged the agency’s limitations. “We cannot annul a marriage that has already taken place. We can prevent such things, but we cannot separate people who are already married. We will continue to monitor the situation,” he stated.

The case came to light after a video went viral showing the girl’s father burning her primary school diploma, school uniform, books, and shoes out of frustration. In the video, the father expressed his disappointment, saying he felt he had failed to educate his child. The village head confirmed the incident, explaining that the father acted out of anger after his daughter returned home late with her boyfriend and, following local customs, decided to marry her off.