Education Minister apologizes for reduced OSN prize money

Indonesia's Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu'ti, has issued an apology regarding the reduction of prize money for winners of the National Science Olympiad (OSN) at the elementary and junior high school levels.

Mu'ti explained that the National Achievement Center (Puspresnas) under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education experienced significant budget cuts, which directly impacted the prize amounts. He emphasized that this reduction does not signify a lack of support for high-achieving students or talent management.

To mitigate the impact, medal winners will still receive priority for LPDP scholarships. Mu'ti stated that the ministry is currently seeking new funding schemes from alternative sources to ensure that future OSN prize amounts can be increased and are not subject to similar reductions.