Indonesian court rules government cannot spend education funding on school meals
Indonesia's Constitutional Court has ruled that the government must stop funding its free school meals program through the national education budget. The court mandated that these funding streams be separated by 2028 to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements for education spending.
Why it matters
This ruling impacts the fiscal management of social welfare programs and ensures that education-specific funds are not diverted to other government initiatives.
Students on Rote Island receive their free school meals. ( Supplied: Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau )
Indonesia's Constitutional Court has ruled that the government can no longer finance its free meals program with funds from the education budget.
The program was launched in 2025 with the aim of feeding 83 million school children and expectant mothers to combat under-nutrition.
The court ordered the funding changes be made within two years but teachers groups are worried that may not happen.
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Indonesia's Constitutional Court has ruled the country's flagship Free Nutritious Meals program, designed to combat under-nutrition, cannot be funded through the national education budget.
The free meals program, or MBG, was launched in 2025 with the aim of feeding 83 million school children and expectant mothers that year.
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