Jakarta — President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed his administration’s strong commitment to the education of the nation’s youth in his State Budget 2026 Financial Note address at the opening of the House of Representatives’ plenary session in the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (Aug. 15).

Prabowo announced that the 2026 state budget—his first draft budget since taking office alongside Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka—will allocate Rp 757.8 trillion (approximately USD 47 billion) to education, the largest such figure in the nation’s history.

“We are committed to delivering high-quality education. Education is the most powerful weapon for producing globally competitive human resources. It is also the key instrument in eradicating poverty. The government will uphold the constitutional mandate to allocate 20% of the state budget to education—amounting to roughly Rp 757.8 trillion in 2026, the largest in the history of the Republic,” Prabowo said.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that education funds are used effectively, with priorities including raising teacher welfare and quality, strengthening vocational training, and aligning curricula with labor market demands.

“We must remain vigilant: education spending must be well-targeted. We will improve teacher quality, strengthen vocational education, and synchronize curricula with workforce needs,” he stated.

Breaking down the allocation, Prabowo noted that the 2026 education budget will fund the Program Indonesia Pintar (Smart Indonesia Program) for 21.1 million students, Kartu Indonesia Pintar (Smart Indonesia Card) scholarships for 1.2 million university students, and Rp 150.1 trillion for upgrading school and campus facilities.

“Salaries for teachers and lecturers will amount to Rp 178.7 trillion, with sufficient provisions for professional allowances for both non-civil servant teachers and regional civil servant teachers,” he explained.

The President also pledged to strengthen Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools) and Sekolah Unggul Garuda (Garuda Excellence Schools) to expand access to quality education for underprivileged children.

“These schools are a bridge of hope for children from poor families to obtain the best possible education. We will encourage the LPDP [Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education] to provide scholarships on a much larger scale at some of the world’s top universities,” he said.

For 2026, the government targets the LPDP to award scholarships to 4,000 students.

“In 2026, LPDP is expected to provide scholarships to 4,000 students—all part of our mission to nurture a generation that is intelligent, innovative, productive, and ready to compete on the global stage,” Prabowo stated.

He closed his remarks by underscoring the urgency of advancing Indonesia’s capabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“We must catch up in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” he concluded.