Coalition Opens Grievance Channel for Teachers Affected by Free Nutritious Meals Policy
The Coalition to Save Indonesian Education (Kospi) has opened a constitutional grievance channel for teachers affected by the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme. Eva Nurcahyani, a researcher at Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), stated that the channel is important due to suspected violations in education management policy through the 2026 State Budget Law.
“By creating this grievance channel, our primary goal is to monitor the continuity of a sound and proper national education system that reaches all regions equitably and transparently,” Eva said at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) office in Central Jakarta on 9 March 2026.
The channel also ensures teacher welfare and helps improve learning quality. Eva explained that the channel is accessible via bit.ly/pengaduankonstitusionalguru. All teachers and educators at various education levels affected by government policy can access it. Teachers with experience or information about the impact of education budget policy can also submit grievances through this channel.
“This data will be used to document the real conditions experienced by teachers in the field, as materials for education policy advocacy, and to strengthen social evidence in the Constitutional Court’s judicial review process,” Eva said.
All information will be used responsibly to ensure education policy prioritises educational quality and educator welfare. The coalition guarantees that teacher reporters’ data will only be used for advocacy purposes and ensures data confidentiality. This protects reporters and minimises risks.
Iman Zanatul Haeri, Head of Teacher Advocacy for the Association of Education and Teachers (P2G), stated that the channel represents teachers’ constitutional right and that all teachers are protected to report. He assured that the data is confidential and the coalition will maintain secrecy.
“This data is very useful, especially for the teachers themselves. I believe many teachers in Indonesia are willing to share what happens at their schools,” Iman said. He noted that the grievance channel is important so the coalition has a database proving that education policy requires correction.
The coalition calls this a constitutional grievance because the free nutritious meals issue is not merely a legal violation but a constitutional one. Edy Kurniawan, Deputy Head of Economic and Social Rights Advocacy at YLBHI, stated that the coalition recognises MBG problems occur consistently across most regions. “However, regrettably, few or no victims—whether teachers, parents, or the public—have dared to lodge complaints.”
Edy attributed this fear to intimidation and repression, including military and police deployment against those criticising MBG. “Consequently, the democratic climate, complaint mechanisms, and remedies for rights violations have disappeared.”
He said this fear motivated the coalition to create the constitutional grievance channel. The channel aims to demonstrate that the MBG problem is not isolated cases, as President Prabowo Subianto claimed represent only a small percentage. “We want to say that problems occur in nearly all regions—poisoning cases and some deaths have been reported—so this is not merely an implementation or individual case issue, but a policy decision deliberately designed to violate the constitution.”
The grievance results will support advocacy efforts, particularly strengthening arguments currently presented to the Constitutional Court. “We will ask Constitutional Judges to open their eyes and hearts, as this constitutional grievance channel reveals many MBG victims.”
Law Number 17 of 2025 concerning the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget for Fiscal Year 2026, or the 2026 State Budget Law, has been challenged at the Constitutional Court by Reza Sudrajat, a temporary contract teacher affected by education budget cuts for the free nutritious meals programme. Reza has challenged Articles 22(2) and 22(3) and their explanations in the regulation.
In Case Number 55/PUU-XXIV/2026, Reza stated that the constitutional harm experienced is not merely perceived but real. Article 31(4) of the 1945 Constitution requires the state to prioritise 20 per cent of the basic education budget. “However, in the 2026 State Budget Law, the right to adequate welfare and students’ right to educational facilities have been obscured by a budget allocation that should not exist,” Reza said during the preliminary examination hearing on 12 February 2026, according to the Constitutional Court statement.
Reza emphasised that he does not oppose nutrition provision, but objects to how the budget allocation is used. He contested the Rp 268 trillion free nutritious meals allocation drawn from a total education budget of Rp 769 trillion.
According to Reza, this results in education budget non-compliance with the 20 per cent constitutional mandate. “If this food funding is deducted, pure education budget becomes only 11.9 per cent of the mandated 20 per cent, far below the constitutional requirement,” Reza said.