Cibitung, Indonesia – A public school teacher in Cibitung, a town east of Jakarta, brought the struggles of Indonesia’s temporary teaching staff into sharp focus this week, breaking down in tears during a parliamentary hearing. Indah Permata Sari, a teacher at SDN Wanasari 01, described being forced to take on a second job delivering laundry to make ends meet, a situation echoed by hundreds of thousands of her colleagues across the archipelago.
According to data from the Indonesian Teachers Association, at least 700,000 “honorary” teachers – those employed on temporary contracts – work under precarious conditions. A recent joint survey by the Institute for Demographic and Affluence Studies (IDEAS) and GREAT Edunesia revealed that 74 per cent of these teachers earn less than 2 million rupiah (approximately $170 USD) per month, with some receiving as little as 500,000 rupiah ($43 USD).
Indah Permata Sari cried during a parliamentary hearing when she explained how she had to do more work, on top of teaching, to make ends meet. (Supplied: TV Parlemen)
The plight of honorary teachers is further complicated by issues with the Data Pokok Pendidikan (Dapodik), the national database of educational personnel. Ms. Sari revealed that she is one of 265 teachers in her district currently not listed in Dapodik, despite meeting the required years of service for inclusion. This exclusion prevents her from participating in the selection process for permanent government positions (PPPK), leaving her future uncertain.
“Padahal saya sudah memenuhi masa kerja, tapi untuk masuk Dapodik itu sulitnya luar biasa Pak,” Ms. Sari told the hearing, according to reports. She also pointed to a lack of clear communication from local education authorities, leaving many teachers unaware of the procedures required for inclusion in the database.
The situation has prompted a wave of concern among education advocates. The government’s recent decision to allocate nearly one-third of the 2026 national education budget to the “Makan Bergizi Gratis” (MBG) – a free school meal program championed by President Prabowo Subianto – has drawn criticism, with some arguing that the funds could be better used to address the immediate needs of teachers.
The MBG program, aiming to provide nutritious meals to almost 83 million Indonesians by 2029, has faced scrutiny over oversight issues and food safety concerns since its launch in 2025. IDEAS has suggested that the MBG budget could instead be used to fund free basic education, scholarships, and raise the salaries of honorary teachers to provincial minimum wage levels.
Iman Zanatul Haeri, head of teacher advocacy at the Education and Teachers Association, expressed concern that the reallocation of funds would exacerbate existing financial pressures on teachers. “With the existing budget alone, teacher welfare isn’t secure … now about 233.5 trillion rupiah ($19.14 billion) is taken away, making things even harder,” he said.
The impact of the budget cuts is already being felt. Agustinus Nitbani, a teacher in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, who has worked for 23 years as an honorary teacher, recently saw his monthly salary reduced to 223,000 rupiah ($19 USD). A video of Mr. Nitbani explaining his situation went viral in recent weeks.
Iman Zanatul Haeri says the allocation of the education budget to the meals program reduces salaries for honorary teachers. (Supplied: Iman Zanatul Haeri)
Adding to the discontent, the government recently appointed 32,000 kitchen workers for the MBG program as civil servants, a move criticized by teachers who have spent years working under temporary contracts. Jatmiko, a teacher in North Sumatra, questioned the prioritization of kitchen staff over experienced educators.
“This clearly deeply hurts the hearts of honorary teachers … those who have served for decades without certainty of being appointed should be prioritised first,” he said. Dede Patimah, a maths teacher in West Java, echoed this sentiment, asking, “Shouldn’t educating children start with ensuring their teachers are able to live decently?”
The concerns over funding and teacher welfare have prompted a legal challenge. Students, teachers, and a school foundation have filed a case in the Constitutional Court, arguing that the allocation of education funds to the MBG program is unconstitutional and demanding that the budget be used for core education functions.
The Indonesian government has been contacted for comment. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges facing Indonesia’s education system and the urgent need to address the precarious working conditions of its honorary teachers.
