Fate of Honorary Teachers After 2026, Minister Mu'ti: There Will Be Civil Servant Appointments

Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti has responded to issues concerning the continuity of honorary or non-ASN teachers, whose service in public schools is limited until the end of December 2026. He stated that the government is currently discussing plans to appoint teachers as Civil Servants (PNS). However, Mu’ti emphasised that these plans are not yet final decisions, as they are still under discussion across ministries. “We are striving to conduct mapping, and then in 2027. This is not yet a decision, it is still under discussion at the inter-ministerial level. There will be PNS appointments. And teachers may participate, those who do not meet the requirements cannot,” Mu’ti explained when met after his visit to the Denpasar Education Festival 2026 on Thursday (7/5/2026). According to him, this policy is aimed at enhancing the competence of educators. The goal is for teachers to teach professionally in line with their fields and the needs of schools. 600 Teacher CPNS Positions in 2026 Meanwhile, the Denpasar City Government (Pemkot) is preparing around 600 teacher positions out of a total of 1,500 proposed Civil Servant Candidate (CPNS) quotas for 2026. “We are only filling for teachers, because the others are already fulfilled. From about 1,500, but we are taking 600 specifically for teachers,” said Denpasar Mayor IGN Jaya Negara, who accompanied Abdul Mu’ti on Thursday. Jaya Negara explained that this step is an effort by Pemkot Denpasar to address the shortage of educators in several schools. “Clearly, Denpasar is proposing through CPNS recruitment. This is for prospective PNS,” Jaya Negara clarified. On the other hand, the Denpasar City Education, Youth, and Sports Office (Disdikpora) acknowledges a shortage of teachers, especially for religious subjects. Head of the Human Resources Development Division of Disdikpora Denpasar, Ida Ayu Putu Mirah Ulantari, said that the requirement for a Teaching Certificate or Pre-Service PPG is a challenge in recruiting PPPK teachers. “Yes, currently Denpasar is short of teachers. There must be a Teaching Certificate (Pre-Service PPG), which is complicating things. Because there are no S1 graduates in Hindu Religion and Balinese Language who have that certificate yet,” said the Head of the Human Resources Development Division of Disdikpora Denpasar, Ida Ayu Putu Mirah Ulantari, when interviewed by the detikBali team on (1/5/2026). She hopes that honorary teachers can participate in ASN or PPPK selections so that the need for teaching staff in Denpasar can be met. Previously, non-ASN teachers were only allowed to teach in public schools until 31 December 2026. This provision is stated in the Circular Letter of the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Number 7 of 2026. As reported by detikEdu, this regulation has raised concerns among non-ASN teachers regarding the continuity of their employment status starting in 2027. In response, Mendikdasmen Abdul Mu’ti explained that this policy is part of the implementation of the Civil Servant Law (ASN). “Regarding the widespread issue of non-ASN teachers who will not be assigned after 31 December, referring to the ASN Law, the ASN Law states that the term ‘honorary’ will no longer exist,” Mu’ti said at a press conference held at the Communication Agency Office in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (6/5/2026). He added that this provision should have been fully effective in 2024. However, its implementation will only take effect in 2027. “So that is actually a consequence of implementing the ASN Law, which should have applied in 2024, fully in 2024. But then with various considerations, it will only be implemented, effective from 2027. In short, that’s it,” he continued.