Legislator Calls for Increase in PIP Student Assistance Budget
Muhamad Nur Purnamasidi, a member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Golkar Party faction, has requested that the government increase the assistance index for the Indonesia Pintar Program (PIP). Purnamasidi believes the current amount of PIP assistance is still too small, particularly for underprivileged families.
“We must not allow economic limitations to become a reason for Indonesian children to lose the opportunity to receive a proper education,” Purnamasidi told reporters on Friday (11/9/2026).
Based on 2024 data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the average annual education cost per student reaches approximately Rp 4.56 million for primary school, Rp 7.34 million for junior high school, and Rp 10.19 million for senior high school/vocational school. PIP assistance only covers a portion of these costs.
He believes that increasing PIP benefits is part of the state’s responsibility to provide decent educational opportunities for every child. He considers adjusting the PIP benefit value to be an important step in easing the burden on recipient families.
“This is not merely a matter of mathematical calculation, but a manifestation of the state’s responsibility. Furthermore, the mandate of the Constitutional Court (MK) is already very clear,” he stated.
Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, revealed the total Social Protection (Pelinsos) budget for 2027. It was reported that the total social protection budget reaches Rp 549.9 trillion.
The Social Protection budget is the fund used to continue various social protection programmes, including assistance for fulfilling educational services. The 2027 Social Protection budget has increased by approximately 8.2 per cent from Rp 508.2 trillion.
“The government is continuing social protection programmes amounting to Rp 549.9 trillion, consisting of the Family Hope Program (PKH), basic food assistance, JKP (Job Loss Insurance) contributions, disaster management, fuel (BBM) subsidies, KIP Kuliah (College Scholarship), and KUR (People’s Business Credit) subsidies,” Airlangga stated during a press conference for the 2027 State Budget Draft and Financial Note, as quoted from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance’s YouTube channel on Friday (14/8).
The Indonesia Pintar Program (PIP) and the KIP Kuliah (College Scholarship) are included in social assistance for fulfilling educational services. The target for PIP recipients in 2027 reaches 22.1 million students, while KIP Kuliah will be aimed at 1.1 million students.
Airlangga emphasised that his office will use accurate data taken from the 2026 Economic Census. The 2026 Economic Census is currently being conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).
“This will serve as a rebasing for future GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and in this economic census, the agricultural sector is being included. Therefore, for the first time in an economic census, agriculture is being integrated into the economic census,” Airlante concluded.