Ministry of Religious Affairs Strengthens Marriage Officiant Capacity Through Short Course

The Ministry of Religious Affairs is holding a Short Course to strengthen the capacity of marriage officiants (penghulu) and kepenghuluan officials in Bandung from 9 to 12 June 2026, attended by 50 participants.

“Why are we gathering and bringing together penghulu in this training? Because our position assigns us as strategic partners, as servants of the community as well as strategic partners of the community,” said Ahmad Zayadi, Director of Bina KUA dan Keluarga Sakinah at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

This short course is directed at strengthening the capacity of penghulu as actors in KUA services who deal directly with the community and the development agenda.

He emphasised that this short course serves as a space to refresh the capacity of penghulu so they are better prepared to face the dynamics of community service. Participants are provided with materials on kepenghuluan, foreign languages, classical-contemporary fiqh of marriage (munakahat), cross-cultural communication, and digital literacy.

“The community we serve is constantly changing. Therefore, penghulu must update their knowledge and skills so that KUA services become increasingly relevant,” he said.

According to him, strengthening penghulu is crucial because the KUA is currently undergoing a major institutional transformation. The KUA can no longer simply be understood as an office for marriage services, but as a meeting space for various community affairs.

“Today, the KUA is no longer understood as the office of romance affairs. The KUA is transforming into a hub of the development ecosystem,” he said.

He noted that the KUA holds a strategic position because it is directly present within the community through its penghulu, counsellors, and other service officers. This proximity allows the KUA to become a link between government policy and the real needs of the community.

“The KUA becomes a melting pot, a place where all affairs meet. Through its service actors, the KUA connects directly with the community,” he said.

Zayadi assessed that the penghulu is one of the important actors in supporting the family development agenda. This is because penghulu interact directly with prospective brides and grooms, families, and community groups from the outset.

“The family planning programme would not be as successful as it is without involving the penghulu. The Minister said that the Head of KUA is essentially a minister at the regional level,” he stated.