JPPI: Kudus Student's Letter Rejecting MBG is a Slap in the Face to the Government

The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) has responded to a letter written by a student in Kudus, Central Java, who requested that his share of the free nutritious meal (MBG) allocation be redirected to support teachers who are not yet prosperous. According to JPPI National Coordinator Ubaid Matraji, the student’s action serves as a harsh rebuke to the government. Ubaid stated that the student’s stance demonstrates sensitivity to more pressing issues in the education world, namely teacher welfare. “What the student in Kudus has done is a harsh slap to the government. Even a child shows sensitivity in recognising that there is something far more urgent than just MBG, namely the welfare of their teachers,” Ubaid said when contacted on Friday, 3 April 2026. Ubaid also expressed appreciation for the student’s courage, which he views as demonstrating true empathy and solidarity towards their teachers. “He has shown a real lesson in character,” Ubaid remarked. Ubaid further noted that this indirectly reveals how the MBG policy ignores fundamental problems long faced by educators, especially honorary teachers who still receive wages below standard. Previously, a vocational secondary school (SMK) student in Kudus, Central Java, sent an unusual letter to President Prabowo Subianto. He requested that his MBG allocation be redirected as additional welfare for his teachers. Muhammad Rafif Arsya Maulidi, an 11th-grade student at SMK NU Miftahul Falah Kudus, stated that he rejects receiving the MBG benefit for himself. He hopes that the budget allocation can be used to help teachers whom he considers not yet prosperous. “If possible, the funds that should be allocated for me could be redirected as additional allowances for my teachers,” Rafif said when confirmed on Thursday night, 2 April 2026. Rafif admitted to feeling distressed upon directly observing the condition of some teachers today. Especially teachers at his school who continue to teach with dedication, despite their welfare being inadequate. He then simply calculated the value of the MBG benefit he would receive until graduation, amounting to approximately Rp 6.75 million. “Currently, I still have about one and a half years of schooling at SMK. If calculated simply, (18 months x 25 days x Rp 15 thousand = Rp 6,750,000),” he said. According to him, that amount may not have a significant impact on him, but it could serve as a form of appreciation for the teachers. Tempo has attempted to seek responses from State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi and Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana regarding Rafif’s letter. However, as of this report, neither has provided a response.