{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1634736,
        "msgid": "efficiency-plan-dpr-hopes-education-budget-will-not-be-cut-1774446681",
        "date": "2026-03-25 20:22:52",
        "title": "Efficiency Plan: DPR Hopes Education Budget Will Not Be Cut",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNN_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "The Deputy Chairman of DPR Commission X for Education, Lalu Hadrian, has urged the government not to slash the education budget amid plans for fiscal efficiency across various ministry allocations. He emphasised that education, as a national priority under the 1945 Constitution, should not be sacrificed to control the state budget deficit, advocating for cuts only in non-essential areas like ceremonial activities. Such reductions could harm school operations, scholarships, teacher welfare, and Indonesia's long-term human resource development and global competitiveness, with the 2026 education budget already set at Rp757.8 trillion to Rp769.09 trillion, largely allocated to the free nutritious meal programme.",
        "content": "<p>Deputy Chairman of DPR Commission X for Education, Lalu Hadrian, has\ncautioned the government against cutting the education budget following\ndiscussions on efficiency measures for various ministry and agency\nallocations. Lalu stressed that his side would critically address the\nefficiency plan, particularly if it targets education funding. According\nto him, the 1945 Constitution establishes the education budget as a\nnational priority. \u201cWe emphasise that efforts to maintain the state\nbudget deficit amid global pressures are indeed important, but they must\nnot sacrifice the education sector,\u201d Lalu stated when contacted on\nWednesday (25\/3). The PKB politician opined that education is not merely\nan expenditure item, but an investment to enhance the quality of human\nresources and national competitiveness. According to Lalu, if efficiency\nmeasures are unavoidable, his side encourages cuts only to non-priority\nspending such as ceremonial activities, official travel, or overlapping\nprogrammes. \u201cCutting the education budget is fundamentally not ideal,\nunless done very selectively and without touching core programmes,\u201d he\nsaid. Lalu explained that slashing the education budget would have\nnegative impacts in both the short and long term. In the near term,\nreductions could squeeze school operational assistance, scholarships,\nand teacher welfare. Meanwhile, in the long term, cuts could lower\nlearning quality, widen access disparities in education, and weaken\nIndonesia\u2019s global competitiveness. In the worst-case scenario, Lalu\ncontinued, such cuts could significantly risk disrupting the achievement\nof future human resource development targets. \u201cWe are not rejecting\nefficiency, but ensuring that the policy is implemented intelligently,\nmeasurably, and without sacrificing the future of the nation\u2019s\ngenerations, especially in education,\u201d he said. The education budget\nallocation in the 2026 state budget has been set at Rp757.8 trillion to\nRp769.09 trillion. However, of that amount, nearly 30 per cent or Rp335\ntrillion is allocated to the free nutritious meal programme (MBG). That\nfigure is the highest among other education sector allocations,\nincluding for non-civil servant teacher allowances, including\nhonouraries, at Rp14.1 trillion or 2.5 per cent. Finance Minister\nPurbaya Yudhi Sadewa previously revealed plans to cut budgets for\nministries and agencies deemed inefficient, as well as to limit new\nbudget submissions. This step was taken after reviewing budget proposals\nfrom several ministries that instead sought increases, rather than\nimplementing efficiency. \u201cBasically, we will cut budgets; I will limit\nnew budgets so they are not submitted again because ministers keep\nproposing and the funds are short by trillions\u2014we\u2019ll limit, cut others,\nadjust, but it won\u2019t disrupt the economy,\u201d Purbaya said when met by\nreporters after Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah prayers at Salahuddin Mosque,\nDirectorate General of Taxes, Jakarta, on Saturday (21\/3).<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/efficiency-plan-dpr-hopes-education-budget-will-not-be-cut-1774446681",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}