#Me(i)lawan Alliance Stages Protest Against Prabowo's Education Policies
Students from various campuses will stage a demonstration in the area of the Arjuna Wijaya Statue or Horse Statue, Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta, on Monday, 4 May 2026. This rally is being held to protest President Prabowo Subianto’s policies in the field of education.
“The direction of national education is currently undergoing a significant shift from its basic function as an instrument to enlighten the life of the nation,” said Achmad Hafizh, President of the Executive Board of Students at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta. He stated that this demonstration is being held to commemorate National Education Day 2026.
Achmad said that the students will conduct a long march from the IRTI Monas bus stop to the horse statue area.
The demonstration will be joined by organisations affiliated with the #Me(i)lawan alliance. This collective comprises student bodies from UIN Jakarta, UPN Veteran Jakarta, Muhammadiyah University Jakarta, to Jakarta State University.
Achmad conveyed that today’s action carries at least six demands. First, the students demand that the government review the discourse on abolishing study programmes. Because, according to him, education is not created solely to meet market needs, but to enlighten the life of the nation and develop critical reasoning.
Second, they also demand a total evaluation of the 20 per cent state budget allocation for education spending. “Ensure that the education budget is truly used for the interests of students, educators, and improving the quality of education, not diverted to other institutions,” said Achmad.
Third, the students call for scientific, free, and democratic education. They demand that the state must guarantee access to quality education without economic discrimination.
Fourth, evaluate and establish a democratic education curriculum with meaningful political participation from educators and students in formulating the National Education System Bill or RUU Sisdiknas. “Stop the top-down approach in education legislation,” said Achmad.
Fifth, conduct a total evaluation of the free nutritious meals programme (MBG), remove the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana from his position, and close all problematic SPPG (Nutrition Programme Service Units). “The national nutrition programme must not become a field for waste and budget deviations,” he said.
Sixth, realise an educational environment that is safe from all forms of violence, whether physical, psychological, or sexual. “The state must ensure that every educational institution becomes a protective space, not a threatening one,” said Achmad.