Education Budget Cuts Potentially Violate Constitution

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The education budget for 2025 is Rp 724.2 trillion out of the total national revenue and expenditure budget or APBN, which amounts to Rp 3,621.3 trillion. If this is reduced under the pretext of efficiency, then President Prabowo Subianto's instruction has the potential to violate the constitution.

This was expressed by the Deputy Chairperson of Commission X of the House of Representatives, Maria Yohana Esti Wijaya, during a working meeting of Commission X with the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti; the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek) Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro; and the Minister of Culture Fadli Zon at the Parliament Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (12/2/2025).

The budgets of three ministries, which are offshoots of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, have been significantly cut. The budget for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has been reduced from IDR 33.5 trillion to IDR 26.2 trillion, the budget for the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology has been cut from IDR 57.6 trillion to IDR 43.3 trillion, and the budget for the Ministry of Culture has been reduced from IDR 2.4 trillion to IDR 1.2 trillion.

Conduct studies and take steps so that the mandatory spending of 20 percent of the education budget in the APBN is met.

This amount does not include the education budget in local governments, ministries, and other institutions that have also been cut. This means that the mandatory spending of 20 percent for the 2025 education budget that has been agreed at Rp 724.2 trillion will be reduced. In fact, Law Number 20 of 2003 concerning the National Education System (UU Sisdiknas) requires the state to allocate a minimum of 20 percent of the APBN for education.

"If we agree on this cut, then the 20 percent education budget will not be realized. This means we are collectively violating the commitment to adhere to the state constitution," said Esti.

This Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle politician is asking the government to ensure that the budget efficiency controversy is only a temporary block or cut and to amend the 2025 state budget that was previously agreed upon. Because, if it is cut, the 20 percent education budget will not be achieved.

"We want to be sure that this is efficiency, cuts or blocks, because this is different," he said.

Responding to this, the Minister of Education and Culture Abdul Mu'ti admitted that he did not know whether this budget cut was temporary or would last throughout 2025. This is because the Ministry of Education and Culture is also still experiencing efficiency from the initial Rp 8 trillion to Rp 7.2 trillion.

"We received information from the Deputy Minister of Finance, from those three terms, the correct one is efficiency block. I do not know what it is called, because there might still be some that could be reopened, but when it will be reopened, we do not know," said Mu'ti.

With the current budget of Rp 26.2 trillion, Mu'ti ensures that several programs impacting the community will not be disrupted. For instance, the expenditure on salaries and allowances for civil servants remains at Rp 1.64 trillion, the budget for the Smart Indonesia Program remains at Rp 9.6 trillion, and the allowance for non-civil servant teachers, which has been increased to Rp 2 million, is still secured at Rp 11.5 trillion.

Other programs such as teacher professional education, enhancement of vocational education, protection of regional languages, as well as quality assurance activities including accreditation and the implementation of academic proficiency tests to be conducted in November 2025 will continue to be optimized with the existing budget.

"These many changes require us to adjust our work patterns, including implementing a simple lifestyle. As of March 1, there will be a ministerial circular on efficiency and the implementation of a simple lifestyle," said Mu'ti.

House Commission X Chairperson Hetifah Sjaifudian added that the House understands the reasons behind the government's budget efficiency. However, programs and activities that have a direct impact on the community should not be cut, especially for education.

These three ministers need to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) to ensure that the obligation of 20 percent of the education budget can still be fulfilled in accordance with the mandate of the 1945 Constitution.

"Conduct studies and take steps so that the mandatory spending of 20 percent of the education budget in the APBN is met," said Hetifah.

In this meeting, Commission X also emphasized that the budget for lecturer performance allowances of IDR 2.5 trillion must be budgeted in the 2025 State Budget. In addition, the school revitalization budget of IDR 17.1 trillion should be managed by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, not the Ministry of Public Works.