Indonesia’s Constitutional Court ruled that the flagship Free Nutritious Meals program cannot be funded through the national education budget, giving the government up to two years to separate the allocations. Chief Judge Suhartoyo announced on Thursday that funding for the program, known as MBG, must be separated from operational education funding by no later than the 2028 state budget, though ideally earlier. The decision addresses petitions filed by students and educators against the state budget law.
Constitutional Conflict Over the Education Budget
Under the Indonesian constitution, at least 20 per cent of the state budget must go toward education. In the 2026 budget, education spending reached 20.1 per cent of total expenditure. The legal challenge centered on the government’s decision to allocate nearly one-third of Indonesia’s Rp769.1 trillion, equivalent to $61.5 billion, education budget to the MBG program designed to feed 83 million school children and expectant mothers.
Petitioners argued that excluding MBG spending would drop actual education spending to about 14 per cent, falling well below the legal requirement. They asked the court to ensure all education funds target core learning functions like school facilities, teacher salaries, classroom learning, and scholarships. Rega Felix, one of the petitioners, described the ruling as a victory because it prevents the education budget from being interfered with by the MBG program.
Teacher Advocacy and Implementation Concerns
Iman Zanatul Haeri, head of teacher advocacy at the Education and Teachers’ Association, welcomed the court’s decision but characterized it as a grey area ruling. According to Mr Haeri, the government might use the timeline to keep the program operating while making minor adjustments to comply with the constitution. The Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI), citing data from the Institute for Demographic and Affluence (IDEAS), reported to parliament that Indonesia still has at least 700,000 contract teachers. The organization noted that 74 per cent of those contract teachers earn less than Rp2 million ($170) a month, with some receiving less than Rp500,000 ($43), while some teachers in Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara, earn just Rp139,000 ($11) monthly.
Did you know? IDEAS previously stated that the money allocated to the MBG program could alternatively fund free basic education for all Indonesian children, provide scholarships for nearly 3 million low-income university students, and raise salaries for over 2 million contract teachers.
Government Response and Program Oversight
Prasetyo Hadi, Indonesia’s minister of the state secretariat, stated that the government received the court’s ruling and will respect the decision. He noted that the government needs time to review the matter because budgets are drafted alongside parliament. Meanwhile, MP Yahya Zaini of the ruling coalition suggested the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) undertake major efficiency measures, including refocusing spending, limiting new kitchen construction, and improving program governance.
The BGN, which oversees the MBG program, faced recent scrutiny involving controversies such as allegations of corruption against former head Dadan Hindayana, the resignation of his successor Nanik S Deyang, and the closure of hundreds of MBG kitchens. The government also reduced the program’s budget twice and indicated further cuts could occur.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Indonesia’s Constitutional Court rule regarding the Free Nutritious Meals program?
The court ruled that the MBG program cannot be funded through the national education budget and ordered the government to separate the funding allocations by no later than the 2028 state budget.
Why did educators challenge the state budget?
Students and educators argued that allocating nearly one-third of the education budget to free meals dropped actual educational spending to about 14 per cent, violating the constitutional requirement to allocate at least 20 per cent of the state budget to education.
How much do contract teachers in Indonesia earn?
According to the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI), 74 per cent of the country’s contract teachers earn less than Rp2 million ($170) a month, with some receiving less than Rp500,000 ($43) and others earning as little as Rp139,000 ($11) monthly.
What is the next step for the petitioners?
Advocacy groups plan to formally hand over the ruling to the state secretariat, the National Nutrition Agency, and relevant ministries to push for executive implementation starting with the 2027 State Budget Law.
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