Prabowo’s Retracted 300% Teacher Salary Hike Sparks Widespread Disappointment

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Teachers’ hopes for a salary increase have once again been dashed. President Prabowo Subianto’s verbal slip-up regarding teachers’ income during a plenary session at the DPR has ignited disappointment among educators, although some admit they are no longer surprised.

On Wednesday (20/05), President Prabowo delivered a speech at the parliament building to outline the macroeconomic framework and fiscal policy priorities for the 2027 Draft State Budget (RAPBN).

Midway through his explanatory address, he stated: “Therefore, my government has increased teachers’ salaries, some by almost 300 percent, the income of teachers.”

However, mere seconds later, he corrected himself.

“(I meant) our judges, apologies, judges,” he clarified.

Coinciding with this moment, thousands of madrasah teachers were protesting in front of the DPR building to fight for their rights. The teachers, organized under several professional bodies including the All-Indonesia Teachers Association (PGSI), the Independent Madrasah Teachers Association (PGMM), and the Association of Private Certified Teachers (IGSS), are demanding guaranteed welfare and clarity on their employment status.

“Teachers were actually happy for a moment. But it was only for three seconds. The effect of this slip of the tongue, whether due to psychology or something else, is perhaps telling,” said Iman Zanatul Haeri, Head of Teacher Advocacy at the Education and Teachers Association (P2G), who participated in the demonstration.

“The positive interpretation is that the President is thinking about teachers. Beyond just thinking, we urge him to resolve the welfare issues for teachers. To this day, it’s not getting better; it’s quite the opposite,” he added.

Fahriza Marta Tanjung, Chairperson of the Indonesian Teachers’ Union Federation (FSGI), believes that while Prabowo might recognize the issues surrounding teacher welfare, he has yet to find effective solutions.

Fahriza then highlighted the plight of contract teachers. She stated that she has encountered instances where contract teachers receive only their certification allowance but no salary. A number of these teachers also live with the uncertainty of their job’s continuation.

This situation is exacerbated by several factors. Some schools are no longer financially capable of making payments, or local government finances are in disarray. Additionally, there are issues stemming from uncoordinated policies between the central and regional governments.

For example, in West Java, 3,823 contract employees, a majority of whom are teachers, have not received their salaries for March and April 2026. The problem is attributed to a policy from the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan-RB), which reportedly obstructs the disbursement of regional budgets for paying contract staff.

Meanwhile, on Thursday (21/05), hundreds of PAUD (Early Childhood Education) contract teachers in Jayapura, Papua, visited the Jayapura Regency People’s Representative Council (DPRK) office in Gunung Merah, Sentani District. They are demanding clarity on their Regional Performance Allowances (TKD) and incentive funds, which have not been paid by the local government since January 2025 to May 2026.

The local government cited an empty regional treasury.

Separately, teachers in several regions, including East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Makassar, expressed their disappointment and resignation, noting that policies concerning teachers frequently fall short of expectations.

“Personally, I’m honestly very disappointed. But I’m not too surprised by the slip of the tongue because issues concerning teacher welfare are often trivialized everywhere. It’s just empty promises now,” said Ofni Yunita Tameno, a PPPK (Government Employee Work Agreement) teacher from Amabi Oefeto, Kupang, NTT.

What about the voices of other teachers?

“Long service, yet left with uncertain status”

Maria Serliana Mau, a teacher at SDI Blawuk in Watuomok Village, Sikka, NTT, briefly felt a surge of happiness. She believed the government was finally paying attention to the welfare of teachers, including herself as a non-ASN (Non-Civil Servant) teacher.

“As a non-ASN teacher, I was incredibly happy because teachers were finally being considered. But afterward, I was disappointed. It turns out teachers are still left behind. The increase wasn’t for teachers; it was for judges,” said Serli.

The English teacher has been working as a contract teacher for a year at SDI Blawuk. Her basic salary is Rp600,000, paid every two to three months.

“It can even be four months because the salary comes from Student Parent Participatory Funds,” Serli revealed.

To supplement her income and support her daily life, she sells items online. She also takes on occasional side jobs because her basic teacher’s salary is insufficient to cover her family’s living expenses.

“On a monthly basis, my expenses can exceed my income. It’s around one million rupiah per month,” Serli stated.

She often hears news about government salary increases for teachers. Unfortunately, these income-related issues have yet to materialize.

She hopes for the government’s attention to teacher welfare. At the very least, she wishes the Regency Education Office would issue a recommendation letter so that contract teachers can be included in the Education Data (Dapodik) system.

She also worries about the possibility of being laid off, as there are ASN teachers who still lack sufficient teaching hours at their schools.

Despite these challenges, she remains enthusiastic about teaching, driven by her goal to educate the nation’s children.

Still in NTT, Ofni Yunita Tameno, who teaches at SMP Negeri 5 Amabi Oefeto, Kupang, hopes for timely salary payments.

“It needs to be disbursed on time. And the allowances must truly reach us. No more deductions from here and there,” she said.

Her salary is now often received around the 20th of the month, whereas previously it was deposited into her account by the 3rd. Some teachers, however, still have loan installments with strict deadlines.

“Some salaries are deposited but then blocked. So, you have to go to the bank first, sort things out, and then you can withdraw your salary. Sometimes, we can’t even withdraw the salary for that month because it’s all taken by the bank. So, we’re sometimes left with nothing,” Ofni explained.

Ofni, who has been a teacher for nine years, detailed numerous deductions from her salary. She should receive Rp3.2 million, but her net take-home pay is only Rp1.5 million.

“We have served for so long, yet we are left with such uncertain status. We have to leave our children and husbands, or some leave their wives, and we must be at school by seven in the morning. Our teaching locations are far from our homes,” she said.

The training she hoped for has also never materialized. “We PPPKs were placed, and that’s it. We haven’t been called since. We haven’t been considered for promotion or pay grade increases. We want to know our future,” Ofni stated.

Read more:

• Contract teachers walk 6km through forests and rivers – ‘Salary isn’t enough, but it’s for the children’

• Largest education budget in history, but nearly half allocated to MBG (Free Nutritious Meals) – ‘Teachers seem to be helped’

Nurce Marfianti Taneo, who shared her income situation with BBC Indonesia in January, has a new update. Initially, after starting her teaching career in September 2025, she only received Rp500,000 in January 2026. However, she now reports receiving a monthly salary of Rp250,000.

Despite receiving a monthly payment, Nurce admits that this amount does not cover her daily living expenses, including her commute to and from school. Consequently, Prabowo’s speech on Wednesday (20/05) briefly reignited her hopes.

“As teachers, we have a calling for the nation’s future. But we also have responsibilities to live. Our hopes are simple: for the salary or support we receive to at least alleviate our personal burdens,” she said.

Meanwhile, some teachers in Makassar City, South Sulawesi, were initially grateful to hear Prabowo’s remarks about salary increases.

“Hearing that, of course, we as teachers felt happy, but it turned out not to be a reality,” said Hery, a teacher at SMA Negeri 5 Makassar.

“From the government’s statements, we already know because sometimes statements can change. Never mind those not yet determined or without legal basis; even those that are determined sometimes don’t materialize,” Hery added.

Hery has been a teacher since 2003. He was a contract teacher until 2022. In 2023, he underwent selection and obtained PPPK status with a five-year contract. Initially, he aspired to become an ASN to save his monthly salary for his five children’s education. He attempted the test five times in various regions, including Takalar, Soppeng, Luwu, and Makassar, but his goal remains unfulfilled as he is still a PPPK.

His dreams of saving have also faded. His basic salary is insufficient to support his wife, five children, and a cousin whose expenses he also covers.

“Based on needs, sometimes by mid-month, our funds are depleted,” he added.

He acknowledges that the certification allowance is quite helpful.

“Certifications are now received monthly. Previously, it was quarterly. Based on my grade, the certification allowance is Rp3.2 million, and my salary is Rp3.2 million. So, Rp6.4 million supports seven people, plus myself,” he said.

Arno, who has been a teacher since 2006 and became an ASN in 2010, commented on the rumored Rp2 million salary or allowance increase for teachers. He stated that this is a right that the government should indeed provide, although in reality, the increase doesn’t reach Rp2 million.

What were Prabowo’s promises to teachers, and what is the reality?

During his presidential campaign, one of Prabowo’s frequent promises was an increase in teachers’ salaries and the establishment of a minimum wage for them. This was included in Prabowo’s Asta Cita program.

Then, at the peak celebration of National Teacher’s Day in Jakarta in November 2024, Prabowo announced that salary increases for teachers would take effect starting in 2025. Specifically, ASN teachers would receive a one-time salary increase, while non-ASN teachers would receive a professional allowance of Rp2 million per month.

A few days later, in early December 2024, the Presidential Palace, through the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), clarified Prabowo’s statement on National Teacher’s Day. It was stated that the professional allowance increase would only be Rp500,000. However, when added to the previous allowance of Rp1.5 million, the total would amount to Rp2 million.

This aligns with the experiences of teachers on the ground, according to Iman Zanatul Haeri of P2G and Fahriza Marta Tanjung of FSGI. Additionally, there’s the Wage Subsidy Assistance (BSU), amounting to around Rp300,000 per month.

“This kind of assistance treats teachers not as professionals but like social welfare recipients. Yet, we are working,” Iman remarked.

Instead, he hopes for the fulfillment of promises, particularly the establishment of a minimum wage. Currently, teachers’ salaries and honoraria do not adhere to regional minimum wage standards. Even the honoraria covered by local governments are consistently below this minimum wage. Therefore, he believes establishing a minimum wage for teachers is crucial.

The regulation of contract teachers through the Circular Letter of the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Number 7 of 2026 also requires further clarification. Iman and Fahriza believe that while the regulation’s intent is positive, its imprecise implementation could lead to unfairness for teachers.

Separately, the Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Nunuk Suryani, stated that this circular serves as a guideline for regional governments to extend the assignments and salaries of non-ASN teachers who were registered in Dapodik before December 2024.

However, on the ground, the regulation of contract teachers has caused unrest. Fahriza observes that the government appears confused about the solutions it intends to implement.

“On one hand, the government states that contract teachers are still greatly needed. But on the other hand, the government seems to have no clear plan for how to proceed. If contract teachers were eliminated and their employment status was formalized, it would be better. But there’s still no news about the recruitment selection process,” Fahriza stated.

According to Workload Analysis (ABK) data, Indonesia faces a shortage of approximately 374,000 teachers in public schools. The primary issue lies in uneven distribution, with a concentration in urban areas and a crisis of teachers in underdeveloped, remote, and outermost (3T) regions.

Read more:

• Where are teachers considered a respected profession? What about Indonesia?
• The case of Hervina and the plight of contract teachers: ‘Dilemma between low wages, uncertain dedication, and love for the job’

• A budget of Rp335 trillion for MBG (Free Nutritious Meals) is being challenged in the Constitutional Court for ‘consuming’ one-third of the education budget – How likely is it to be granted by the judges?
• Case of 107 contract teachers in Jakarta fired for ‘not adhering to regulations’

Historically, this teacher deficit has been filled by contract teachers. Data indicates that around 237,196 contract teachers in public schools were registered in the national education system as of early 2026.

This need is not matched by adequate funding capabilities. The 20% allocation of the state budget (APBN) for education has not been effectively implemented during the current administration.

Iman and Fahriza argue that the increase in education funding has been significantly diverted to the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. Consequently, the welfare of teachers is once again sacrificed.

“Furthermore, transfers to regions have also decreased. That’s why in many regions, we see a phenomenon of contract teachers not being paid for months. In Serang City, for instance, they haven’t been paid for three months. Or there’s the phenomenon of PPPK contracts not being renewed or outright dismissals,” said Iman.

Transfers from the central government to regions, such as TKD, previously constituted a large portion of the education budget. “But now, it turns out that the education budget is being used for MBG. So, looking at this, fiscal tightening in the regions is causing teacher welfare to become even more insecure.”

This report was also contributed by Arnold Welianto and Eliazar Robert from East Nusa Tenggara, and Darul Amri from South Sulawesi.