Abdul Mu'ti Says Prabowo Has Increased 2026 Education Budget, Not Cut It for Free Nutritious Meals Programme

Jakarta, VIVA – Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti has confirmed that the 2026 budget will see an increase and will not be cut to fund the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme.

“The budget is actually larger following the introduction of MBG, because the President will add to it. Therefore, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is submitting a supplementary budget request (ABT),” Mu’ti said in an official statement in Jakarta, quoted on Friday, 20 February 2026.

Mu’ti made the remarks during a coordination meeting on the implementation of the MBG programme in Surabaya, East Java. He explained that ABT is a supplementary allocation within the current year’s state budget (APBN) designated for urgent matters.

Mu’ti also stated that 43 million MBG beneficiaries are currently school students. He noted that the MBG programme has also supported the ministry’s efforts to boost students’ enthusiasm for learning and character development.

“MBG also supports the seventh programme under Indonesia Hebat, namely eating healthy and nutritious food,” he said.

Mu’ti emphasised that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education continues to have substantial allocations for improving the quality of education, with no reduction in government funding.

He then compared several major budget items at the ministry between 2025 and 2026. In 2025, the ministry received an allocation of Rp16.9 trillion for the revitalisation of educational institutions, applied to 16,176 educational units. Currently, 93 per cent of those educational facilities have been completed.

For 2026, the ministry has also allocated a budget for the revitalisation of educational institutions. The amount currently recorded in the APBN stands at over Rp14 trillion, to be allocated to more than 11,000 educational units.