Madrasah Teachers Welcome Court Ruling on Free Meal Budget, Seek Fairer Education Funding

Madrasah teachers have welcomed a Constitutional Court ruling mandating the separation of the free nutritious meal program budget from the overall education budget. The organization Perkumpulan Guru Madrasah Mandiri (PGMM) expressed hope that this decision, to be fully implemented by the 2028 state budget, will result in a more equitable allocation of educational funds across all institutions. PGMM Chairman Tedi Malik emphasized that the constitutionally mandated 20% education budget should be fully utilized for educational purposes and distributed proportionally to both public and private institutions, regardless of whether they fall under the Ministry of Education and Culture or the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Malik stated, "We welcome the decision. Our hope is that its execution can be faster, even from early 2027." He believes separating the meal program's budget will allow the government greater flexibility to enhance national education quality. Specifically, PGMM anticipates increased attention to the welfare of madrasah teachers and fairer budget support for Islamic educational institutions. Malik reiterated, "The full 20% education budget must be used and distributed fairly to educational institutions, both public and private, under the guidance of either the Ministry of Education and Culture or the Ministry of Religious Affairs."