P2G Rejects Prabowo-Gibran Free Lunch Program Using BOS Funds

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Education and Teacher Association (P2G) has asked the government not to use the education budget for the free lunch program, including from School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds.

"P2G firmly refuses if the planned free lunch policy uses BOS funds," said P2G Teacher Advocacy Division Head Iman Zanatul Haeri as quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, March 3.

Iman explained that the program should not be realized through the use of the education post budget because most BOS funds have been used to pay salaries for teachers and honorary educators.

According to P2G, currently the APBN budget for education posts has not fully met the welfare of teachers and improved school facilities, including advancing the quality of education.

If the education budget in the APBN is also used to finance free food programs, it is feared that it will further hamper the improvement of the quality of education and the welfare of teachers.

Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that 60.6 percent of classrooms at elementary school (SD) levels are in a damaged condition in the 2021/2022 school year, so this issue should be the focus of government attention.

Not only that, Iman said many elementary schools complained that BOS funds for students were lacking because each child only received IDR 900,000 per day, or around IDR 2,830 per day.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the free meal program is still under discussion by the government in Macroeconomic Policy and the Principles of Fiscal Policy (KEM-PPKF) 2025.

From the results of the meeting, there has been no further decision regarding the budget scheme for the free lunch program proposed by the presidential and vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

So far, the government has just decided to discuss the program in the 2025 KEM-PPKF.