Ministry of Religious Affairs Acknowledges Madrasah Teacher Allowances Have Not Been Disbursed: A Procedural Matter
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has acknowledged that professional allowances for madrasah teachers covering the period from January to February 2026 have not yet been paid or disbursed.
Amien Suyitno, Director General of Islamic Education at Kemenag, cited the justification that additional budgetary expenditure for teacher professional allowances still requires prior review by the Inspector General’s office at Kemenag.
“It is purely a procedural matter,” Suyitno said when contacted on Thursday (26 February). “At that time, the Teacher Professional Education (PPG) programme was still in progress. According to regulations, learning time cannot yet be budgeted; we must wait for graduation, which has only just been announced.”
Suyitno explained that once the teachers graduate, Kemenag will only then propose budgeting for teacher professional allowances in accordance with its personnel expenditure requirements.
He stated that there are no problems with the disbursement process for madrasah teacher professional allowances.
“The PPG programme only concluded in December according to its stages, so automatically the professional allowances can only be proposed for the following year. Since the fiscal year is already underway, the scheme goes through a proposal for additional budgetary allocation,” he said.
Suyitno expressed hope that madrasah teachers whose professional allowances have not yet been disbursed would understand the situation.
“So according to regulations, that is how it works: the PPG programme one year, allowances the following year,” Suyitno said.
A letter circulating on social media had recently gone viral announcing that teacher professional allowances for January and February 2026 cannot be paid until budgetary funds become available.
The letter was directed to all heads of regional offices of Kemenag by province, heads of madrasah education divisions, and heads of Islamic religious education divisions.
“Based on the Circular Letter from the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs No. 85/SJ/KU.00.2/01/2026 dated 27 January regarding the payment of professional allowances for teachers and lecturers declared to have completed certification in 2025, the payment of professional allowances for teachers and heads of madrasahs who are 2025 PPG programme graduates (even though they have already obtained their registration number) cannot temporarily be paid until budgetary allocation becomes available,” stated the third point of the letter.