Ministry of Education and Science Budget Cut by IDR 22.5 Trillion

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology is still reviewing the impact of budget efficiency in 2025, especially to ensure that this year's program can be implemented. The budget ceiling of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, which was originally IDR 57.6 trillion, was cut by IDR 22.5 trillion.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisiantek) Togar Mangihut Simatupang in Jakarta, Thursday (6/2/2025), explained that the efficiency of more than Rp 22 trillion is an estimate from the Ministry of Finance. The estimate is around 39 percent of the budget ceiling of around Rp 57.6 trillion.

According to Togar, efficiency is carried out in the budget component originating from pure rupiah, which amounts to around Rp 46.5 trillion. If this pure rupiah fund is reduced by employee spending of Rp 17 trillion, and does not include the performance allowance (tukin) plan of Rp 2.5 trillion, there is less than Rp 30 trillion that can be made efficient.

"As a result, there is only around IDR 7.5 trillion that can be spent on programs in 2025. Therefore, efficiency will first target the plan in the attachment to the letter of the Minister of Finance regarding efficiency of ministry/institution spending. We are calculating," said Togar.

Kemendiktisaintek wants to make higher education an agent of economic development so that it can provide a better impact on society. To that end, Kemendiktisaintek plays a role in achieving self-sufficiency in food, energy, water, strengthening education, science and technology, and digitalization.

The Ministry of Education and Science and Technology also plays a role in environmental conservation and continuing downstreaming and industrialization based on natural and maritime resources. The Ministry of Education and Science and Technology is tasked with building an ecosystem that supports the growth of science and technology. This is because Indonesia has the potential for qualified individuals spread across various universities.

As a result, only around IDR 7.5 trillion can be spent on programs in 2025.

Regarding the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) College quota for underprivileged students in higher education, Togar is not yet willing to confirm. This scholarship annually funds around 200,000 students from underprivileged families, covering the cost of state university entrance selection, tuition fees, and living expenses. Since 2020, the number of KIP College beneficiaries has reached more than 1.1 million students.

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro emphasized that the development of human resources (HR) in higher education, science, and technology with global competitiveness is a priority for the government going forward. "Higher education has an important role in forming a generation that is innovative, adaptive and able to answer the challenges of the times," said Satryo.

Currently, the Gross Participation Rate (APK) of Higher Education in Indonesia is 32 percent. This shows that there are still many young Indonesians who have not been able to enjoy higher education, one of which is due to economic limitations. Through KIP Kuliah, the government is committed to increasing the APK along with good quality.

"The government through the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology is committed to supporting Indonesian children who have potential who come from economically disadvantaged families to be able to complete their studies at university. With the KIP Kuliah, the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology seeks to increase access to university for those from disadvantaged families," said Satryo.

The 2025 KIP Kuliah is prioritized for prospective students holding the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP) for secondary education. They come from families included in the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS) or receive the Family Hope Program (PKH) and students from families holding the Family Welfare Card (KKS).

Apart from that, they are also from poor/vulnerable to poverty families with a maximum of decile 3 (three) of the Extreme Poverty Eradication Acceleration Data (PPKE) or students from social institutions/orphanages.

Prospective recipients who do not meet any of the above economic requirements can still register. The requirements are, including the poor/vulnerable poor group by submitting proof of combined gross income of parents/guardians of a maximum of IDR 4 million per month. In addition, the combined gross income of parents/guardians divided by the number of family members is a maximum of IDR 750,000 and a valid and official Certificate of Inability (SKTM).

Education practitioner Darmaningtyas regrets the cuts in the education budget at the Ministry of Education and Technology and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. This is because education is a public service that must be fulfilled by the government, especially since Indonesia is committed to preparing superior human resources towards Indonesia Emas 2045.

According to Darmaningtyas, higher education institutions are replaced, merged, or separated from primary and secondary education. In fact, after higher education is separated from primary and secondary education, the adjustment of institutional names alone costs a high budget.

Darmaningtyas emphasized that the allocation of government assistance to universities, especially state universities, should not be affected. "Excellent programs that are not urgent, such as superior high schools, are actually not a priority. It is better to provide autonomy to high schools that are already good so that their quality can be further improved. It is also better to allocate limited funds to help small state universities so that their quality can be even better," said Darmaningtyas.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network, Ubaid Matraji, said that the budget cuts for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology will certainly reduce the quality of education services. "The current budget (before the cuts) is very minimal if we compare it to the amount of the available education budget. By cutting it, this further confirms that the government does not make the education sector a priority," Ubaid emphasized.