Government Assures No Layoffs for 237,196 Honorary Teachers
Jakarta, VIVA – The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has affirmed that it is not conducting mass layoffs of 237,196 non-ASN teachers who have been recorded in the Basic Education Data System (Dapodik), allowing them to remain active in teaching until 31 December 2026.
The Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel (Dirjen GTK) of Kemendikdasmen, Nunuk Suryani, stated that her office still requires the roles of these non-ASN teachers during the ongoing process of restructuring teacher formation needs.
“Madam Menpan (Minister of PAN-RB) has conveyed that there will be no mass layoffs because the government is currently formulating future teacher needs,” said Nunuk during an event titled Media Briefing on the Circular Letter (SE) of the Minister of Education No. 7 of 2026 Regarding the Assignment of Non-ASN Teachers in Jakarta on Monday, 11 May 2026.
Furthermore, Nunuk explained that her ministry, along with relevant Ministries and Agencies (K/L), is mapping national teacher formation needs to enable redistribution to fill vacancies in various regions, including involving non-ASN teachers.
In addition, she continued, Kemendikdasmen together with relevant K/L is preparing selection mechanisms for the hundreds of thousands of non-ASN teachers already recorded in the Dapodik system as of 31 December 2024.
Nunuk added that the selection will be designed to be fairer and more supportive of teachers who have long served in schools.
“So regarding the future, currently Madam Minister of PAN-RB has also stated that there will be a selection. The number is still being formulated, still under discussion, and what the selection process will be like, we are currently formulating with the Minister of PAN-RB,” said Nunuk.
She explained that the controversy surrounding the continuity of non-ASN teachers arose due to Law No. 20 of 2023 on ASN, which requires the arrangement of non-ASN personnel to be completed by December 2024.
That regulation, she said, means that government agencies, including public schools, should no longer have employees with non-ASN status, including honorary teachers.
Therefore, Kemendikdasmen issued Circular Letter No. 7 of 2026 from the Minister of Education, which serves as a reference for local governments to continue extending the assignments of honorary or non-ASN teachers in public schools until the end of this year. (Ant)