Jakarta. The government has spent around Rp 504 trillion (around $31.4 billion) on the education sector so far this year as of the end of November, according to Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara.

About Rp 171.9 trillion was education-related spending made by the central government. Some of that money went to providing financial support for the education of 21.1 million students who come from low-income families. The government also spent a portion of that money on the Smart Indonesia Card program dedicated to university students. Some of the spending also went to paying allowances for 652,500 teachers and 79,700 university lecturers who are not civil servants.

“Allocating a portion of state money for education is part of the public investment. Because it supports [Indonesia’s] competitiveness,” Suahasil said, as reported by the state news agency Antara over the weekend.

The ministry has also transferred Rp 317 trillion to the sub-national governments across the archipelago for their respective education programs. This includes making renovations to classrooms and other facilities.

The total expenditure for financing has hit Rp 18.1 trillion as of end-November. The figure also includes what the government has spent for its flagship LPDP program that has allowed many Indonesian youth to get their master’s and doctoral degrees both at home and abroad.

President Prabowo Subianto said not long ago that the education sector would remain a priority in the government’s budget allocations for 2025. He added: “Health and education are our way out of poverty.”

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