{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1565821,
        "msgid": "education-budget-allocations-cut-to-fund-free-nutritious-meals-programme-plaintiffs-claim-1771720869",
        "date": "2026-02-21 19:25:21",
        "title": "Education Budget Allocations Cut to Fund Free Nutritious Meals Programme, Plaintiffs Claim",
        "author": "",
        "source": "TEMPO_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "Legal challengers to Indonesia's free nutritious meals (MBG) programme have presented data to the Constitutional Court showing significant cuts to education budget components in 2026, despite an overall increase in aggregate education spending. The National Nutrition Agency's allocation for MBG nearly quadrupled to Rp223.",
        "content": "<p>The free nutritious meals programme (MBG), budgeted through the\nNational Nutrition Agency, is said to have caused significant changes to\nthe structure of the 2026 education budget. According to data held by\nthe legal team representing the plaintiffs challenging the MBG budget at\nthe Constitutional Court, a number of education components have seen\nreduced allocations after the MBG project was incorporated into the 20\nper cent education budget framework within the state budget (APBN).<\/p>\n<p>Abdul Hakim, a member of the plaintiffs\u2019 legal team, argued that\nclaims by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education that MBG does\nnot reduce the education budget are unfounded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fact is there have been reductions in a number of budget lines\nthat are crucial for educational operations,\u201d Hakim said when contacted\non Saturday, 21 February 2026.<\/p>\n<p>In total, the education budget did rise from Rp724.26 trillion in\n2025 (Presidential Regulation 201\/2024) to Rp769.08 trillion in 2026\n(Presidential Regulation 118\/2025). However, the significant jump in the\nNational Nutrition Agency\u2019s allocation for MBG, amounting to Rp223.55\ntrillion, is considered to have altered the composition of expenditure\nand displaced fiscal space for other education priorities.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, the education budget for the National Nutrition Agency stood\nat Rp56.8 trillion. In 2026, the figure surged to Rp223.55 trillion.\nThis nearly fourfold increase has become the largest component of\neducation spending through ministries and agencies.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, although aggregate education spending has risen, a\nnumber of ministries and other education budget lines have actually been\ncut. Based on data provided by the plaintiffs\u2019 legal team, several\nministries have experienced reductions in their education budget\nallocations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ministries and agencies with reduced education\nallocations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ministry of Culture: from Rp2.37 trillion to Rp1.50 trillion<\/li>\n<li>Ministry of Agriculture: from Rp374.9 billion to Rp238.2\nbillion<\/li>\n<li>Ministry of Industry: from Rp759.9 billion to Rp685.9 billion<\/li>\n<li>Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: from Rp188.7 billion to\nRp172.8 billion<\/li>\n<li>Ministry of Youth and Sports: from Rp535.8 billion to Rp243.4\nbillion<\/li>\n<li>Ministry of Manpower: from Rp921 billion to Rp814 billion<\/li>\n<li>Ministry of Communications and Digital: from Rp101.9 billion to\nRp57.6 billion<\/li>\n<li>The most drastic reduction occurred at the National Library, whose\nbudget fell from Rp459.5 billion to Rp72.3 billion in 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Sharp Decline in Transfers to Regions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The most significant change is visible in education budget transfers\nto regional governments. Total education transfers to regions fell from\nRp347.09 trillion in 2025 to Rp264.62 trillion in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Components that experienced reductions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>General Allocation Fund (DAU) and Revenue Sharing Fund (DBH) for\neducation: from Rp212.60 trillion to Rp128.19 trillion<\/li>\n<li>Special Autonomy Fund (Otsus) for education: from Rp2.34 trillion to\nRp2.10 trillion<\/li>\n<li>Regional library development assistance fund: from Rp150 billion to\nRp125 billion<\/li>\n<li>Operational assistance for museums and cultural parks: from Rp169.9\nbillion to Rp150 billion<\/li>\n<li>Meanwhile, Non-Physical Special Allocation Funds (DAK) saw a\nmarginal increase, including Operational Assistance for Education Units\n(BOSP), which rose from Rp59.27 trillion to Rp59.29 trillion, and\nallowances for regional civil servant teachers, which increased from\nRp70.06 trillion to Rp74.76 trillion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Education Financing Reduced<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The education budget allocated through financing mechanisms also\nexperienced significant cuts. Total education financing fell from Rp80\ntrillion in 2025 to Rp34 trillion in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The breakdown:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Education Endowment Fund remained at Rp25 trillion<\/li>\n<li>Other education financing dropped drastically from Rp55 trillion to\nRp9 trillion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This reduction is considered likely to affect the long-term funding\ncapacity of the education sector.<\/p>\n<p>Previously, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu\u2019ti\nstated that MBG does not reduce the education budget at his ministry. He\nalso noted that the education budget has in fact increased in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf there is a perception that MBG reduces the education budget, we\nstate firmly that this is not true. The President\u2019s programmes related\nto education continue to be implemented as well as possible,\u201d Mu\u2019ti said\nat a Coordination Meeting on MBG Implementation in East Java on\nThursday, 19 February 2026.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-budget-allocations-cut-to-fund-free-nutritious-meals-programme-plaintiffs-claim-1771720869",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}