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Indonesian free state education proposal

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2026-10-15 09:43 UTC → 2026-11-02 07:32 UTC · added ~~removed~~

President Prabowo Subianto has proposed a policy to provide free education across all state-run levels, from elementary school to state universities. The initiative aims to ensure equitable access for all Indonesian children regardless of economic background. During a meeting at the Merdeka Palace on September 23, 2026, officials discussed mechanisms to support a 13-year compulsory education commitment. In the primary sector, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti announced that starting in 2027, kindergarten students from low-income families will receive Program Indonesia Pintar (PIP) funds of Rp450,000 per year. To support infrastructure, the government plans to revitalize 71,744 educational units by 2027, prioritizing schools in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. Additionally, the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ program, which targets underprivileged and former drop-out students, currently serves over 44,000 students across 182 locations. To address higher education, Minister Brian Yuliarto stated the government is calculating the budget required to cover approximately 2.8 million students, with initial estimates near Rp93.7 trillion. ~~President Prabowo has since directed a phased rollout of tuition-free programs at~~ The proposed policy for state universities ~~to shift costs from households to~~ includes the ~~state, noting that average yearly higher education costs reached approximately Rp13.96 million in 2024.~~ abolition of Single Tuition Fees (UKT) and Institutional Development Fees (IPI). To fund these initiatives, the government may utilize the 2027 Draft State Budget, which allocates roughly Rp820.9 trillion for education, or consider assets seized from corruption convicts. Legislators and academics continue to urge the inclusion of private higher education institutions (PTS) in the program. Lalu Hadrian Irfani of the DPR RI suggested increasing the Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP) Kuliah quota for private ~~students.~~ students, while Professor R. Agus Sartono argued that excluding PTS could widen inequality. The Indonesian Private Higher Education Association (APTISI) ~~also~~ supports the initiative but recommends prioritizing students in the lowest economic deciles (1–4) regardless of campus status. ~~APTISI cautioned that universal free tuition at state universities could threaten the sustainability of private institutions that rely on tuition fees.~~ As of ~~October~~ November 2026, ~~Coordinating Minister for Human Development~~ the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and ~~Cultural Affairs Sugiono~~ Technology is ~~finalizing the comprehensive policy.~~ reviewing implementation scenarios and potential phased rollouts.

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