Cabinet Secretary Teddy States Education Budget Allocation Approved by Parliament, Chair from PDI-P
Jakarta — The Cabinet Secretariat (Seskab) Teddy Indra Wijaya has stated that the education budget allocation in the 2026 state budget has been approved by the government and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia.
Teddy emphasised that the education budget allocation of 20 per cent has received approval from the Budget Committee (Banggar) of the House of Representatives, which is chaired by a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
“This year, the Rp769.1 trillion represents 20 per cent, and that is the education budget. The education budget has multiple allocations and purposes. These allocations and purposes were agreed upon last year by the Government, the House of Representatives, and the House Budget Committee, whose chair is also from PDI-P,” said Teddy at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Friday (27 February 2026).
In outlining the allocation, Teddy explained that the Free Nutritious Meal programme (MBG) is the foundation for future improvements in education.
“All of these measures, including MBG, serve as the initial foundation for improving education in the future,” he said.
Teddy stressed that the MBG programme does not reduce other education programmes and budgets.
He assured that all education programmes in Indonesia continue to operate and focus on students, schools, and teachers.
“The question is whether this nutritious meal programme reduces education programmes. My answer is no. In fact, no strategic education programme from the previous period has ceased operations,” he said.
“No programmes from the previous period have been stopped. Everything is running. Everything is running, and even expanding,” he emphasised.
Previously, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) stated that, based on the 2026 State Budget Law and the Presidential Regulation on the state budget breakdown, MBG funding falls within the education budget allocation.
My Esti Wijayati, Deputy Chair of Commission X of the House of Representatives from the PDI-P faction, made this statement to refute claims that the MBG programme funding was not drawn from the education budget.
“In the appendices to the state budget, which take the form of a Presidential Regulation, it is clearly stated that the Rp769 trillion education budget includes Rp223.5 trillion for MBG. This is official in the state budget appendix document,” said Esti during a press conference at the PDI-P Party School in Jakarta on Wednesday (25 February 2026).
Based on this, the clarification was deemed necessary so that party members and the public receive information consistent with official state budget data.
“Since questions about this have begun to emerge at the grassroots level, we felt the need to explain openly so that we can convey the truth in accordance with the data contained in the state budget,” she said.