INDOPOSCO.ID – Indonesia’s Constitutional Court (MK) has ruled that funding for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program can no longer be charged to the constitutionally mandated education budget allocation and must be separated no later than the 2028 State Budget (APBN).
Responding to the ruling, Deputy Chair of House of Representatives (DPR RI) Commission X, Kurniasih Mufidayati, said the decision should serve as a foundation for strengthening the education sector without compromising the sustainability of the MBG program.
According to Kurniasih, the Constitutional Court’s ruling provides clearer direction for state budget management while safeguarding the constitutional mandate on education funding. She expressed hope that the implementation of the decision would further improve the quality of education while ensuring that students’ nutritional needs continue to be met.
“We respect the Constitutional Court’s ruling as part of the constitutional mechanism in state governance. Most importantly, following this decision, the quality of education must continue to improve, while the Free Nutritious Meals program must also continue to operate optimally, as both are investments in the future of Indonesia’s children,” Kurniasih said in a statement on Friday (July 31, 2026).
She said education and adequate nutrition are complementary components in developing high-quality human resources. Therefore, she called on the government to prepare a sound fiscal strategy to ensure that the implementation of the Court’s ruling does not adversely affect the quality of education services or the continuity of the MBG program.
“There should be no narrative suggesting that one must be chosen over the other. Quality education requires healthy and well-nourished children, while a strong nutrition program should go hand in hand with efforts to improve the quality of education,” she said.
In the context of state budget planning, Kurniasih said Commission X of the House of Representatives would oversee future APBN deliberations to ensure that education funding remains in line with the constitutional mandate. At the same time, the House will also ensure that a sustainable, transparent, and accountable financing mechanism is available for the MBG program.
She emphasized the importance of the government promptly preparing a roadmap for implementing the Constitutional Court’s ruling so that the transition to the new financing scheme can proceed gradually without disrupting public services.
“A roadmap for implementing the Constitutional Court’s ruling is needed so that the transition to the new financing scheme can be carried out smoothly without disrupting public services. Policy certainty will provide reassurance for both the education sector and the implementation of the MBG program,” Kurniasih said.
Concluding her statement, Kurniasih expressed hope that the implementation of the Court’s ruling would result in policies that strengthen education while improving the nutritional well-being of Indonesian children as a foundation for achieving the nation’s Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
“Our hope is simple: better education, greater welfare for teachers, improved learning quality, and, at the same time, continued access to nutritious meals for Indonesian children. These two major agendas must move forward together to realize Golden Indonesia 2045,” she added.. (her)
