JPPI Welcomes Constitutional Court Ruling on Free Nutritious Meals, Urges Immediate Budget Separation

The Constitutional Court (MK) has ruled that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme budget must not be taken from the education budget, as stipulated in Constitutional Court Decision Number 40/PUU-XXIV/2026. The separation of the MBG budget from the education budget is mandated to take effect no later than the 2028 State Budget (APBN).

National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), Ubaid Matraji, welcomed the court’s decision but expressed disappointment that the ruling did not require the separation to begin immediately with the 2027 State Budget. “The government and the House of Representatives still have time to adjust the posture of the 2027 APBN. Therefore, the MBG budget should be separated from the education budget starting in the 2027 APBN,” Ubaid stated on Thursday.

He emphasised that the 2028 deadline should not be interpreted as a licence for the government to continue burdening the education budget. Ubaid urged the government to use the 2027 APBN as the starting point for the total separation of MBG financing from the constitutionally mandated education budget.