Ministry Of Religion Allocates IDR 50 Billion For The Welfare Of Christian Teachers Throughout Indonesia

Illustration of the Ministry of Religion or the Ministry of Religion. (Between)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) has allocated a budget of IDR 50 billion in 2025 for Christian teacher benefits and incentives throughout Indonesia.

"These incentives and allowances are a form of state appreciation for the dedication of Christian religious teachers, including those who serve in the 3T area (frontier, outermost, underdeveloped)," said Director of Christian Education at the Ministry of Religion, Suwarsono in Jakarta, Wednesday, quoted by Antara.

Suwarsono explained that the Rp50 billion budget was allocated to support the three main schemes for improving the welfare of Christian religious teachers, namely incentives for 3,831 non-ASN teachers with a total budget of Rp11.54 billion.

Then, the teaching professional allowance (TPG) for 738 non-ASN teachers with a value of Rp. 13.63 billion was given to certified teachers. Furthermore, special allowances for 1,237 teachers who served in the 3T area with a total budget of Rp. 24.85 billion.

"This is an affirmative support for the state to ensure equitable distribution of welfare for all Christian religious teachers in Indonesia," he said.

Suwarsono explained that until 2025 there were 50,270 Christian Religious Education teachers in Indonesia.

They consist of 15,862 civil servant teachers, 10,192 PPPK teachers, and 24,216 non-ASN teachers spread across various Christian education units, ranging from Christian Theology Elementary Schools (SDTK) to Christian High Schools (SEMAK).

"We are committed to improving the welfare of teachers, both in public schools and in private Christian religious schools throughout Indonesia," he said.

Of the 50,270 teachers, 12,496 teachers have been certified, while 37,774 others are still in process. Of the number that has not been certified, 27,021 teachers have been declared eligible to participate in the Teacher Professional Education Program (PPG), while the rest are still completing administrative requirements, such as S1 qualification and a minimum work period of two years.

The PPG program in office for Christian Religious Education teachers is carried out in stages since 2024.

"In 2025, there were 10,841 teachers who participated in PPG through three batches, in collaboration with Jakarta State University and Bandung Indonesia University for general subjects, as well as IAKN Ambon, Tarutung, and Manado for PAK," he said.

In 2026, the Directorate General of Christian Guidance targets 16,600 teachers to take part in further PPG with a budget allocation of Rp. 13 billion so that all Christian religious teachers are certified professionally by the end of 2026.