TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Constitutional Court has ruled that the government's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program can no longer be classified as part of the national education budget, ordering the government to separate its funding from education spending no later than the 2028 State Budget.
The ruling came after the Court partially granted a judicial review of Law No. 17 of 2025 on the 2026 State Budget, filed by the Taman Belajar Nusantara Foundation and four individual citizens.
Court Says MBG Funding Violates Constitutional Education Budget Rules
The petition challenged Article 22(3) of the 2026 State Budget Law, which counted spending on the MBG program as part of the constitutionally mandated education budget.
Reading the verdict on Thursday, July 30, Constitutional Court Justice Enny Nurbaningsih said the policy was inconsistent with the Constitution because the free meals program could not be categorized as an operational education activity.
"The MBG program must be removed from, or separated from, the operational definition of educational activities so that it no longer uses the education budget allocation in the State Budget," Enny said during the hearing at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta.
Budget Separation Required by 2028
The Court ordered the government to complete the separation of the MBG budget from education spending by the 2028 fiscal year, or no later than two years after the ruling was issued.
However, the justices also urged the government to accelerate the restructuring of the State Budget so the separation could begin with the 2027 State Budget.
According to the Court, separating the budget would ensure compliance with the constitutional requirement that at least 20 percent of the State Budget be allocated to education, while also providing a clearer legal foundation for implementing the government's flagship free meals program.
Two Other MBG Lawsuits Dismissed
On the same day, the Constitutional Court also ruled on two other petitions challenging aspects of the MBG program.
The Court rejected petition No. 52/PUU-XXIV/2026, filed by lecturer Rega Felix, and declared petition No. 55/PUU-XXIV/2026, filed by teacher Reza Sudrajat, inadmissible.
Only the petition filed by the Taman Belajar Nusantara Foundation and four citizens was partially granted, resulting in the order to remove the MBG program from the education budget classification.
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