MK Judge Saddened: Tuition Fees Rise Annually, Yet Lecturers' Salaries Below Minimum Wage
JAKARTA - Constitutional Court Justice Arsul Sani has voiced his dismay at the situation where many non-civil servant lecturers receive salaries far below standard levels, even as single tuition fees (UKT) paid by students rise annually.
“This seems quite sad at first glance; UKT keeps increasing every year, yet some lecturers’ salaries are still below the minimum regional wage,” Arsul stated during the judicial review hearing of the Teachers and Lecturers Law at the Constitutional Court building on Tuesday (5/5/2026).
Arsul also highlighted the complexity of determining minimum wages for higher education institutions with campuses spanning multiple regions, whether across districts/cities or provinces.
On a more fundamental level, the issue is the lack of clarity on who is responsible for the salaries of non-civil servant lecturers at state universities.
He explained that, according to government statements, civil servant lecturers are the responsibility of the state, while those at private universities are the responsibility of the community or the organising body.
However, the position of non-civil servant lecturers at state universities has not been clearly regulated.
Additionally, Arsul touched on lecturers working under part-time schemes, which could potentially affect wage structures.
“Monthly income ranges from Rp450,000 to Rp1,500,000 per month,” said Andi during the hearing.
FKDSI outlined several findings from various regions. In South Sulawesi, private university lecturers receive around Rp1,750,000 per month, while the minimum regional wage is Rp4,148,000.
“In East Java, there are lecturers receiving a salary of Rp304,000 per month with a minimum regional wage of Rp3,320,000 per month,” he said.
A similar situation exists in West Sumatra, where lecturers’ salaries range from Rp1,500,000 per month against a minimum regional wage of Rp3,182,000.
Even in West Sulawesi, particularly in Mamuju, non-civil servant lecturers do not receive a fixed monthly salary.
“Lecturers are only paid based on the number of courses they teach, so in certain conditions, they only receive around Rp1,200,000 for a six-month period,” he revealed.
“As many as 76.7 percent of members receive income below the regional minimum wage in their respective areas,” he added.
According to FKDSI, this situation stems from the unclear norms in Article 52 of the Teachers and Lecturers Law, which opens the door to wage practices that do not align with the principles of social justice.
“This situation contradicts the constitutional mandate that every citizen has the right to fair and decent remuneration and treatment in employment relations,” said Andi.