Student Ultimatum: Larger Protest Threatened for Monday

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – A student alliance has given the government an ultimatum to promptly respond to demands from the National Education Day (Hardiknas) action in the Merdeka Selatan area, Gambir, Central Jakarta, on Saturday (2/5/2026). If not addressed, the Alliance of BEM SI, BEM of Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions in Indonesia (BEM PTMAI), and the Student Senate of State Islamic Religious Higher Education Institutions (Sema PTKIN) threaten to take to the streets again with a larger crowd on Monday (4/5/2026). “Today, we are issuing an ultimatum to the government. If they do not come down (to meet the protesters) today, we will take to the streets again on Monday with a greater escalation. That is from us, the BEM of Muhammadiyah Higher Education Institutions across Jabodetabek,” said Yogi Alaydrus, Central Coordinator of BEM PTMAI, to reporters at the location on Saturday. They assess that the government prioritises support programmes over strengthening the education sector. “Many of our teachers are only paid Rp 1 million, Rp 2 million per month. Salaries far lower than SPPG (Food and Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit) workers, whose food even poisons school children,” Yogi exclaimed. He also highlighted the unclear fate of honorary teachers still occurring in the field, despite being eliminated by regulation. “Honorary teachers have been abolished according to the ASN Law, but in the field, in villages, honorary teachers still exist. This is the uncertainty that we want the government to reorganise, especially the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology,” Yogi stated. Students are pushing to extend compulsory education to 16 years, including higher education levels. “We want to amend the National Education System Law to 16 years of compulsory education, so that children who will go to university, underprivileged children, can get free university education as well,” said Muzammil. He also criticised the administrative burden deemed to burden teachers and impact learning quality. “How can education be quality if teachers are still seeking livelihood in between teaching? They are also busier handling administrative matters ordered by the ministry,” he said. Here are the 10 main demands of the BEM SI Alliance: