Education Budget for Free Nutritious Meal Programme Represents DPR-Government Agreement

The chairman of the House of Representatives’ Budget Committee, Said Abdullah, has stated that the education budget allocation for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme represents a joint agreement between the DPR and the government as enshrined in the State Budget Law. The PDIP politician said the decision applies to the 2025 and 2026 state budgets.

“Whether placing the MBG budget as part of the education budget can be interpreted as part of the education budget as intended by the constitution is clear—the government and DPR have decided it becomes law in the State Budget,” Said said in a written statement on Friday, 27 February 2026.

According to Said, the Prabowo Subianto administration has fulfilled its constitutional mandate by allocating 20 per cent of the total 2025 and 2026 state budgets to education. The education budget for 2025 was recorded at Rp 724.2 trillion, with Rp 769 trillion allocated for this year.

However, he acknowledged that the education budget has been diverted to the National Nutrition Agency, which manages the MBG programme. In 2025, education funds transferred to the BNG amounted to Rp 71 trillion, increasing to Rp 268 trillion for the 2026 budget year.

Of the Rp 268 trillion in BNG programme funds, Rp 255.5 trillion supports the MBG programme and Rp 12.4 trillion supports programme management. “Of the BNG programme budget of Rp 255.5 trillion, Rp 223.5 trillion is allocated for education functions,” he said.

Said respects the constitutional court petition challenging the State Budget Law’s allocation of education funds for MBG. He has deferred to the Constitutional Court to determine whether allocating MBG from education funds violates the 1945 Constitution.

“With conviction and based on various constitutional studies, the DPR and government have made this decision,” he said.

Said explained that the state budget is the only law whose draft is proposed by the government to the DPR. Parliament has the authority to modify budget allocations for ministerial or institutional programmes by increasing or decreasing amounts for joint agreement with the government. Ultimately, lawmakers also have authority to accept or reject the budget proposal.

Public debate previously emerged following claims that MBG was consuming education budget allocations. The government has emphasised that the programme does not erode education allocations but rather operates alongside strengthening infrastructure and educational assistance.

However, according to the annex to Presidential Regulation Number 118 of 2025 regarding details of the 2026 state budget, the MBG allocation is listed under education budget items. Of the total Rp 769 trillion education budget, approximately Rp 223 trillion is allocated to the BNG to implement the MBG programme.