JAKARTA — SEGARIS.CO — Former Governor of Central Java for the 2013-2023 period, Ganjar Pranowo, expressed his concern about the education budget in Indonesia, which he considered inadequate.
He emphasized that education is the main pillar in building the nation, as stated in the 1945 Constitution which aims to educate the nation’s life.
“This republic was founded to produce people who are intelligent, skilled, moral, and dignified,” said Ganjar at the Seruni 10-Year Impact Discussion event held by the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (FEB UI) at the UI Convention Hall, Depok, Monday (11/25/2024).
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Ganjar emphasized that education not only functions as a means of improving welfare, but also a strategic instrument to improve the nation’s image and position in the eyes of the world.
However, he considered that the current allocation of the education budget still does not meet international standards.
Budget below UNESCO standards
According to Ganjar, although the education budget in 2024 reaches 20% of the APBN or around IDR 665 trillion, this amount is still far from UNESCO’s recommendation which sets an ideal standard of 4-6% of GDP.
Currently, Indonesia has only allocated 2-3.5% of GDP for education.
“The nominal IDR 665 trillion does seem large, but compared to international standards, we are still behind. This is a big homework for us to maximize the existing budget,” he said.
Ganjar also explained that the funds were spread across various budget items, including:
Transfer to Regions and Village Funds (TKDD): IDR 346 trillion (52%)
Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology: IDR 98 trillion (15%)
Financing Expenditure: IDR 76 trillion (12%)
Ministry of Religion: IDR 62 trillion (9%)
Non-Ministry/Institutional Expenditure: IDR 47 trillion (7%)
Other Ministries/Institutions: IDR 32 trillion (5%)
He assessed that the budget distribution involving 22 ministries and institutions has the potential to reduce the effectiveness of the designed education programs.
Encouragement for budget management reform
Ganjar encouraged the government to reorganize the management of the education budget to be more directed and focused.
He hopes that the available allocation can be used optimally to improve the quality of national education.
“With an allocation of 20% of the APBN, the government must ensure that the management of this budget is more effective and on target. Budget governance reform is an urgent need,” said Ganjar.
This statement is a reminder of the importance of reforming the education system in Indonesia in order to create a superior and competitive generation at the global level. [RE/***]
