Indonesia's Constitutional Court Orders Separation of School Meal Funding from Education Budget

Chief judge Suhartoyo of Indonesia's Constitutional Court ruled that the flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program must be funded separately from the national education budget, with the separation to be completed by the 2028 state budget, preferably sooner. Initiated in 2025 to feed 83 million schoolchildren and expectant mothers, MBG had consumed roughly one-third of the Rp769.1 trillion education budget, prompting concerns that removing it would drop education spending to about 14 percent, below the constitutional 20 percent floor.

Teacher groups such as the Education and Teachers' Association, represented by Iman Zanatul Haeri and petitioner Rega Felix, praised the ruling but called it a “grey-area” decision, noting that MBG funding remains permissible for 2026 but not thereafter. They warned the two-year implementation window could be interpreted loosely and urged immediate action to safeguard teachers' salaries and school resources. Government officials, including Minister Prasetyo Hadi, said they would respect the decision but need time to coordinate with parliament, while MP Yahya Zaini called for efficiency measures to keep the nutrition program alive within the new fiscal constraints.