This article was machine-drafted from the sources cited in its footnotes. It is not the official text of any law or court decision, and it is not legal advice (how articles are written).
Education law of IndonesiaTopic
FieldEducation law
JurisdictionIndonesia
Principal instrumentsPasal 31 of the 1945 Constitution; Undang-Undang 20/2003 on the national education system; Undang-Undang 14/2005 on teachers and lecturers; Undang-Undang 12/2012 on higher education
Principal institutionsMinistry of Primary and Secondary Education; Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology; Constitutional Court of Indonesia

Education law of Indonesia is the body of Indonesian law that governs the national education system: the pathways, levels and types of education, compulsory basic education, national education standards, teachers and lecturers, higher education, and the funding of education from the state and regional budgets. Its constitutional basis is Pasal 31 of the 1945 Constitution, amended in 2002, whose fourth paragraph requires education to be given at least twenty per cent of the state budget.[1][2] Its principal statutes are Undang-Undang 20/2003 on the national education system, signed and promulgated on 8 July 2003; Undang-Undang 14/2005 on teachers and lecturers, of 30 December 2005; and Undang-Undang 12/2012 on higher education, of 10 August 2012.[3][4][5]

The executive rules of the field are made mostly by the education ministries and by presidential regulation. In 2024 the ministry that had been responsible for education, culture, science and technology was replaced by a Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and a Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and the presidential regulations of March 2025 on the performance allowances of their staff followed that reorganisation.[6][7] Other ministries run education institutions or regulate the study of their own civil servants.

The sections below survey the field: the constitutional and statutory framework; the institutions and staff of education; school nutrition, which connects the field with health law; and the Constitutional Court's review in 2026 of the education statutes and of the education budget of the 2026 State Budget. CRPG's regulatory tracker reported the instruments and decisions surveyed here between March and September 2026.[8][9]

Constitutional and statutory framework

Undang-Undang 20/2003 defines education as a conscious and planned effort to create a learning environment and process in which students actively develop their own potential, and national education as education based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.[10] Every citizen has an equal right to education of good quality, with special education for citizens with physical, emotional, mental, intellectual or social disabilities and special-service education for those in remote areas; every citizen aged seven to fifteen must take part in basic education, and the central and regional governments must guarantee compulsory education at least at the basic level without charging fees.[11][12]

The statute divides education into three pathways (jalur), formal, non-formal and informal, which may complement one another; formal education has three levels, basic, secondary and higher; and education may be general, vocational, academic, professional, religious or special in type.[13] Non-formal education, for citizens who need education as a substitute for, an addition to or a complement of formal education, includes early childhood education, literacy, equivalency education and job training.[14] Pasal 35 sets national education standards for content, process, graduate competence, education personnel, facilities, management, funding and assessment, and Pasal 49 ayat (1) requires education funds other than the salaries of educators and the costs of official training to be allocated at least twenty per cent of the state budget and of regional budgets.[15][16]

Undang-Undang 14/2005 defines a teacher (guru) as a professional educator whose main task is to educate, teach, guide, direct, train, assess and evaluate students in formal early childhood education, basic education and secondary education, and a lecturer (dosen) as a professional educator and scientist who develops and disseminates knowledge through education, research and community service. Both hold the status of professionals, recognised by an educator's certificate, and a teacher must hold an academic qualification, competence and that certificate.[17][18][19] Undang-Undang 12/2012 defines higher education as the level after secondary education, covering diploma, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, professional and specialist programmes, and allows the minister to grant state universities autonomy either under the financial management pattern of a public service agency or by forming a state university with legal-entity status (PTN badan hukum), which may appoint its own lecturers and manage its own funds.[20][21]

Institutions and staff

Peraturan Presiden 18/2025 and Peraturan Presiden 19/2025, both signed and promulgated on 27 March 2025, set the monthly performance allowance (tunjangan kinerja) of the employees of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology respectively. Both apply the allowance retroactively from 1 January 2025; the first revoked the allowance regulation of the former ministry, Perpres 136/2018, and the second excludes employees of state universities that are legal entities.[22][23][24][25] Both belong also to the civil-service rules surveyed at public administration in Indonesia.

Several ministries other than the education ministries run institutions of education or regulate the study of their staff. Permenkes 13/2026, promulgated on 19 June 2026, amended for the second time the organisation of the health polytechnics (Politeknik Kesehatan) run by the Ministry of Health, abolishing their administrative sections and subsections and reorganising their staff into functional and implementing positions.[26][27][28] Permen ESDM 2/2026, in force from 21 January 2026, revoked without replacement the 2009 guidelines of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on study permits, promotion examinations for diploma adjustment and the recording of academic titles for its civil servants.[29][30]

School nutrition

Students are one of the target groups of the national nutrition programme, a subject shared with health sector regulation in Indonesia. Peraturan Presiden 83/2024, which established the National Nutrition Agency (Badan Gizi Nasional) in August 2024, names as targets of its work students at early childhood, basic and secondary level in general, vocational, religious, special and pesantren education, together with children under five, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.[31] The free nutritious meals programme that the agency runs is governed by Peraturan Presiden 115/2025 of 17 November 2025, which funds it from the state budget.[32][33]

Constitutional review

The 2026 State Budget law, Undang-Undang 17/2025, counted the meals programme at education-related institutions, in the elucidation of its Pasal 22 ayat (3), as part of the operational funding of education, and so within the constitutional minimum for education spending. Three decisions of the Constitutional Court pronounced on 30 July 2026, surveyed also at constitutional review in Indonesia and public finance and non-tax revenue in Indonesia, addressed that provision. In Decision 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, on a petition by an education foundation and five individual citizens, the Court held that the elucidation had widened the meaning of the operational funding of education and created a new norm; because annulling it would have left the 2026 education budget below the constitutional minimum, it declared the elucidation conditionally binding, valid only for the 2026 budget, with the meals programme to be separated from the education budget by the 2028 budget at the latest.[34][35] Decision 52/PUU-XXIV/2026 declared inadmissible a challenge to Pasal 49 ayat (1) of the education statute, which the Court found unclear, and to the two elucidations, and rejected the rest; Decision 55/PUU-XXIV/2026, on a petition by a non-permanent teacher and an association of educators, held that the association lacked standing and, applying the reasoning of Decision 40, rejected the teacher's challenge to Pasal 22 ayat (3).[36][37]

The same day the Court decided Decision 241/PUU-XXIV/2026, on a petition by the head of a community learning centre (Pusat Kegiatan Belajar Masyarakat) seeking to place non-formal education and its tutors on the same footing as the formal pathway. It held that the petitioner lacked standing to challenge Pasal 26 ayat (6) of the education statute, on the equivalence of non-formal education, and rejected on the merits the challenges to the national standards provision, Pasal 35 ayat (1), and to the definition of a teacher in Pasal 1 angka 1 of the teachers and lecturers statute.[38][39]

See also

Part of a series on Education law of Indonesia
MK 241/PUU-XXIV/2026 · MK 280/PUU-XXIII/2025 · MK 40/PUU-XXIV/2026 · MK 52/PUU-XXIV/2026 · Permen ESDM 2/2026 · Permenkes 13/2026 · PMK 62/2026 · Perpres 18/2025 · Perpres 19/2025
Identifiers Know ID K13
Categories Education law of Indonesia
What links here (14)

References

  1. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraph [3.15], stating the constitutional question under Pasal 28D(1) and 31(4) of the 1945 Constitution. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14745_1785399940.pdf ↩︎

  2. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraph [3.16]: the 2002 amendment of Pasal 31 and its drafting history. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14745_1785399940.pdf ↩︎

  3. [P] Undang-Undang Nomor 20 Tahun 2003 tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional, closing formula (Disahkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 8 Juli 2003; Diundangkan di Jakarta pada Tanggal 8 Juli 2003), Lembaran Negara 2003 No. 78, TLN 4301. regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  4. [P] Undang-Undang Nomor 14 Tahun 2005 tentang Guru dan Dosen, closing formula (Disahkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 30 Desember 2005; Diundangkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 30 Desember 2005); TLN 4586. regulation_id UU_14_2005. ↩︎

  5. [P] Undang-Undang Nomor 12 Tahun 2012 tentang Pendidikan Tinggi, closing formula (Disahkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 10 Agustus 2012; Diundangkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 10 Agustus 2012). regulation_id UU_12_2012. ↩︎

  6. [P] Perpres 18/2025, preamble, Menimbang huruf a to c and Mengingat (Pasal 4 ayat (1) of the 1945 Constitution; Undang-Undang Nomor 20 Tahun 2023 tentang Aparatur Sipil Negara; the 2024 presidential regulation on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, whose number is not clearly legible in the held text). regulation_id PERPRES_18_2025. ↩︎

  7. [P] Perpres 19/2025, preamble, Menimbang huruf a to c and Mengingat (Pasal 4 ayat (1) of the 1945 Constitution; Undang-Undang Nomor 20 Tahun 2023 tentang Aparatur Sipil Negara; Peraturan Presiden Nomor 189 Tahun 2024 tentang Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi, Sains, dan Teknologi). regulation_id PERPRES_19_2025. ↩︎

  8. [E] "Performance Allowances at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education: PERPRES 18/2025", CRPG regulatory tracker, crpg.id, 26 March 2026. https://crpg.id/what-are-the-key-provisions-of-perpres-18-2025-on-employee-performance-allowances/ (free sign-in required on crpg.id) The post carries a notice that it is AI-generated; it is cited for the record of the development, not for its legal content. ↩︎

  9. [E] "Non-Formal Education Equivalence and the Definition of Teacher: MK 241/PUU-XXIV/2026", CRPG regulatory tracker, crpg.id, 22 September 2026. https://crpg.id/non-formal-education-equivalence-and-the-definition-of-teacher-mk-241-puu-xxiv-2026/ The post carries a notice that it is AI-generated; it is cited for the record of the development, not for its legal content. ↩︎

  10. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 1 angka 1 and 2. regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  11. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 5 ayat (1) to (3) and Pasal 6 ayat (1). regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  12. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 34 ayat (2). regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  13. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 13 ayat (1), Pasal 14 and Pasal 15. regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  14. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 26 ayat (1) and (3). regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  15. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 35 ayat (1). regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  16. [P] UU 20/2003, Pasal 49 ayat (1). regulation_id UU_20_2003. ↩︎

  17. [P] UU 14/2005, Pasal 1 angka 1 and 2. regulation_id UU_14_2005. ↩︎

  18. [P] UU 14/2005, Pasal 2 and Pasal 3. regulation_id UU_14_2005. ↩︎

  19. [P] UU 14/2005, Pasal 8. regulation_id UU_14_2005. ↩︎

  20. [P] UU 12/2012, Pasal 1 angka 2. regulation_id UU_12_2012. ↩︎

  21. [P] UU 12/2012, Pasal 65 ayat (1) to (3). regulation_id UU_12_2012. ↩︎

  22. [P] Perpres 18/2025, Pasal 4; JDIH BPK: enacted, promulgated and in force 27 March 2025, LN 2025 (38). regulation_id PERPRES_18_2025. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/316718/perpres-no-18-tahun-2025 ↩︎

  23. [P] Perpres 18/2025, Pasal 13 and Pasal 14, revoking Peraturan Presiden Nomor 136 Tahun 2018 tentang Tunjangan Kinerja Pegawai di Lingkungan Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (Lembaran Negara 2018 No. 254). regulation_id PERPRES_18_2025. ↩︎

  24. [P] Perpres 19/2025, Pasal 4, and Pasal 14 and closing formula (Diundangkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 27 Maret 2025; Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2025 Nomor 39). regulation_id PERPRES_19_2025. ↩︎

  25. [P] Perpres 19/2025, Pasal 7 huruf a to f. regulation_id PERPRES_19_2025. ↩︎

  26. [P] Permenkes 13/2026, Article II and closing formula (Ditetapkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 17 Juni 2026; Diundangkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 19 Juni 2026; Berita Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2026 Nomor 405). regulation_id PERMENKES_13_2026. ↩︎

  27. [P] Permenkes 13/2026, Article I points 2 to 10 (Pasal 11 huruf b deleted; Pasal 16 to 23 deleted) and point 19 (Pasal 50 deleted). regulation_id PERMENKES_13_2026. ↩︎

  28. [P] Permenkes 13/2026, Article I points 11 to 14 (title of Bab VI; Pasal 37, 38 and 39 as amended). regulation_id PERMENKES_13_2026. ↩︎

  29. [P] Permen ESDM 2/2026, Pasal 1 and Pasal 2. regulation_id PERMENESDM_2_2026. ↩︎

  30. [P] Permen ESDM No. 2 Tahun 2026, JDIH Nasional (peraturan.go.id): enacted 13 January 2026, promulgated 21 January 2026, Berita Negara 2026 No. 45. https://peraturan.go.id/id/permen-esdm-no-2-tahun-2026 ↩︎

  31. [P] Perpres 83/2024, Pasal 5 ayat (1) and (2), and closing formula (Ditetapkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 15 Agustus 2024). regulation_id PERPRES_83_2024. ↩︎

  32. [P] Perpres 115/2025, Pasal 63 and closing formula (Ditetapkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 17 November 2025; Diundangkan di Jakarta pada tanggal 17 November 2025), Lembaran Negara 2025 No. 183. regulation_id PERPRES_115_2025. ↩︎

  33. [P] Perpres 115/2025, Pasal 59 and Pasal 60. regulation_id PERPRES_115_2025. ↩︎

  34. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraphs [3.17.3]–[3.18]: the elucidation as a new norm; conditional constitutionality; separation by the 2028 budget or within two years. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14745_1785399940.pdf ↩︎

  35. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraph [3.5] (the petitioners: a private legal entity and five individual citizens), conclusions [4.1]–[4.3] and Amar Putusan items 1–4: "Mengabulkan permohonan para Pemohon untuk sebagian"; the elucidation of Pasal 22(3) of Undang-Undang 17/2025 conditionally binding, limited to the 2026 State Budget; remainder rejected; pronounced 30 July 2026. Constitutional Court database record, case 40/PUU-XXIV/2026. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14745_1785399940.pdf ↩︎

  36. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 52/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraph [3.14] and Amar Putusan: provisional request rejected; petition inadmissible as to Pasal 49(1) of Undang-Undang 20/2003 and its elucidation and the elucidation of Pasal 22(3) of Undang-Undang 17/2025; remainder rejected; pronounced 30 July 2026. Constitutional Court database record. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14746_1785400080.pdf ↩︎

  37. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 55/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraphs [3.5] and [3.15] and Amar Putusan: "Menyatakan permohonan Pemohon II tidak dapat diterima"; first petitioner's petition "tidak dapat diterima" as to the elucidation of Pasal 22(3) of UU 17/2025; "Menolak permohonan Pemohon I untuk selain dan selebihnya"; pronounced 30 July 2026. Constitutional Court database record, case 55/PUU-XXIV/2026. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14747_1785400186.pdf ↩︎

  38. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 241/PUU-XXIV/2026, paragraphs [3.4]–[3.6]: no standing as to Pasal 26(6) of Undang-Undang 20/2003; standing as to Pasal 35(1) and Pasal 1 angka 1 of Undang-Undang 14/2005; paragraph [3.5] on the petitioner's qualification. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14741_1785396550.pdf ↩︎

  39. [P] Putusan MK Nomor 241/PUU-XXIV/2026, Amar Putusan: "1. Menyatakan permohonan Pemohon sepanjang pengujian Pasal 26 ayat (6) Undang-Undang Nomor 20 Tahun 2003 ... tidak dapat diterima; 2. Menolak permohonan Pemohon untuk selain dan selebihnya"; pronounced 30 July 2026. Constitutional Court database record, case 241/PUU-XXIV/2026. https://s.mkri.id/public/content/persidangan/putusan/putusan_mkri_14741_1785396550.pdf ↩︎