Education Budget Allocations Cut to Fund Free Nutritious Meals Programme, Plaintiffs Claim
The free nutritious meals programme (MBG), budgeted through the National Nutrition Agency, is said to have caused significant changes to the structure of the 2026 education budget. According to data held by the legal team representing the plaintiffs challenging the MBG budget at the Constitutional Court, a number of education components have seen reduced allocations after the MBG project was incorporated into the 20 per cent education budget framework within the state budget (APBN).
Abdul Hakim, a member of the plaintiffs' legal team, argued that claims by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education that MBG does not reduce the education budget are unfounded.
"The fact is there have been reductions in a number of budget lines that are crucial for educational operations," Hakim said when contacted on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
In total, the education budget did rise from Rp724.26 trillion in 2025 (Presidential Regulation 201/2024) to Rp769.08 trillion in 2026 (Presidential Regulation 118/2025). However, the significant jump in the National Nutrition Agency's allocation for MBG, amounting to Rp223.55 trillion, is considered to have altered the composition of expenditure and displaced fiscal space for other education priorities.
In 2025, the education budget for the National Nutrition Agency stood at Rp56.8 trillion. In 2026, the figure surged to Rp223.55 trillion. This nearly fourfold increase has become the largest component of education spending through ministries and agencies.
As a result, although aggregate education spending has risen, a number of ministries and other education budget lines have actually been cut. Based on data provided by the plaintiffs' legal team, several ministries have experienced reductions in their education budget allocations.
**Ministries and agencies with reduced education allocations:**
- Ministry of Culture: from Rp2.37 trillion to Rp1.50 trillion
- Ministry of Agriculture: from Rp374.9 billion to Rp238.2 billion
- Ministry of Industry: from Rp759.9 billion to Rp685.9 billion
- Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: from Rp188.7 billion to Rp172.8 billion
- Ministry of Youth and Sports: from Rp535.8 billion to Rp243.4 billion
- Ministry of Manpower: from Rp921 billion to Rp814 billion
- Ministry of Communications and Digital: from Rp101.9 billion to Rp57.6 billion
- The most drastic reduction occurred at the National Library, whose budget fell from Rp459.5 billion to Rp72.3 billion in 2026.
**Sharp Decline in Transfers to Regions**
The most significant change is visible in education budget transfers to regional governments. Total education transfers to regions fell from Rp347.09 trillion in 2025 to Rp264.62 trillion in 2026.
Components that experienced reductions:
- General Allocation Fund (DAU) and Revenue Sharing Fund (DBH) for education: from Rp212.60 trillion to Rp128.19 trillion
- Special Autonomy Fund (Otsus) for education: from Rp2.34 trillion to Rp2.10 trillion
- Regional library development assistance fund: from Rp150 billion to Rp125 billion
- Operational assistance for museums and cultural parks: from Rp169.9 billion to Rp150 billion
- Meanwhile, Non-Physical Special Allocation Funds (DAK) saw a marginal increase, including Operational Assistance for Education Units (BOSP), which rose from Rp59.27 trillion to Rp59.29 trillion, and allowances for regional civil servant teachers, which increased from Rp70.06 trillion to Rp74.76 trillion.
**Education Financing Reduced**
The education budget allocated through financing mechanisms also experienced significant cuts. Total education financing fell from Rp80 trillion in 2025 to Rp34 trillion in 2026.
The breakdown:
- The Education Endowment Fund remained at Rp25 trillion
- Other education financing dropped drastically from Rp55 trillion to Rp9 trillion
This reduction is considered likely to affect the long-term funding capacity of the education sector.
Previously, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti stated that MBG does not reduce the education budget at his ministry. He also noted that the education budget has in fact increased in 2026.
"If there is a perception that MBG reduces the education budget, we state firmly that this is not true. The President's programmes related to education continue to be implemented as well as possible," Mu'ti said at a Coordination Meeting on MBG Implementation in East Java on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
Abdul Hakim, a member of the plaintiffs' legal team, argued that claims by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education that MBG does not reduce the education budget are unfounded.
"The fact is there have been reductions in a number of budget lines that are crucial for educational operations," Hakim said when contacted on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
In total, the education budget did rise from Rp724.26 trillion in 2025 (Presidential Regulation 201/2024) to Rp769.08 trillion in 2026 (Presidential Regulation 118/2025). However, the significant jump in the National Nutrition Agency's allocation for MBG, amounting to Rp223.55 trillion, is considered to have altered the composition of expenditure and displaced fiscal space for other education priorities.
In 2025, the education budget for the National Nutrition Agency stood at Rp56.8 trillion. In 2026, the figure surged to Rp223.55 trillion. This nearly fourfold increase has become the largest component of education spending through ministries and agencies.
As a result, although aggregate education spending has risen, a number of ministries and other education budget lines have actually been cut. Based on data provided by the plaintiffs' legal team, several ministries have experienced reductions in their education budget allocations.
**Ministries and agencies with reduced education allocations:**
- Ministry of Culture: from Rp2.37 trillion to Rp1.50 trillion
- Ministry of Agriculture: from Rp374.9 billion to Rp238.2 billion
- Ministry of Industry: from Rp759.9 billion to Rp685.9 billion
- Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: from Rp188.7 billion to Rp172.8 billion
- Ministry of Youth and Sports: from Rp535.8 billion to Rp243.4 billion
- Ministry of Manpower: from Rp921 billion to Rp814 billion
- Ministry of Communications and Digital: from Rp101.9 billion to Rp57.6 billion
- The most drastic reduction occurred at the National Library, whose budget fell from Rp459.5 billion to Rp72.3 billion in 2026.
**Sharp Decline in Transfers to Regions**
The most significant change is visible in education budget transfers to regional governments. Total education transfers to regions fell from Rp347.09 trillion in 2025 to Rp264.62 trillion in 2026.
Components that experienced reductions:
- General Allocation Fund (DAU) and Revenue Sharing Fund (DBH) for education: from Rp212.60 trillion to Rp128.19 trillion
- Special Autonomy Fund (Otsus) for education: from Rp2.34 trillion to Rp2.10 trillion
- Regional library development assistance fund: from Rp150 billion to Rp125 billion
- Operational assistance for museums and cultural parks: from Rp169.9 billion to Rp150 billion
- Meanwhile, Non-Physical Special Allocation Funds (DAK) saw a marginal increase, including Operational Assistance for Education Units (BOSP), which rose from Rp59.27 trillion to Rp59.29 trillion, and allowances for regional civil servant teachers, which increased from Rp70.06 trillion to Rp74.76 trillion.
**Education Financing Reduced**
The education budget allocated through financing mechanisms also experienced significant cuts. Total education financing fell from Rp80 trillion in 2025 to Rp34 trillion in 2026.
The breakdown:
- The Education Endowment Fund remained at Rp25 trillion
- Other education financing dropped drastically from Rp55 trillion to Rp9 trillion
This reduction is considered likely to affect the long-term funding capacity of the education sector.
Previously, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti stated that MBG does not reduce the education budget at his ministry. He also noted that the education budget has in fact increased in 2026.
"If there is a perception that MBG reduces the education budget, we state firmly that this is not true. The President's programmes related to education continue to be implemented as well as possible," Mu'ti said at a Coordination Meeting on MBG Implementation in East Java on Thursday, 19 February 2026.