TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has guaranteed that ongoing government scholarships will not be affected by the budget cuts being implemented by President Prabowo Subianto.

It is known that ministries and agencies are implementing budget cuts based on Presidential Instruction.

The state treasurer clarified that a total of 40,030 scholarship recipients will continue to receive their funds.

These students earn scholarships from the Education Fund Management Agency (LPDP) under the Finance Ministry, the Indonesian Education Scholarship under the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek), and the Indonesia Bangkit Scholarship under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

"Ongoing scholarships involving 40,030 recipients of LPDP scholarship, Indonesian Education Scholarships, and Indonesia Bangkit Scholarship, will also continue according to the scholarship contracts that have been made," said Sri Mulyani during a press conference held at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday, February 14, 2025.

Furthermore, Sri also ensured that the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) Scholarships will not be affected by budget cuts. She confirmed that the budget of Rp14,698,000,000,000 for KIP will still be distributed. "This budget is not subject to cuts or reductions," she said.

According to her, 1,040,192 students will receive KIP scholarships in the 2025 fiscal year, and all registered recipients will receive full benefits.

Previously, the Ministry of Higher Education emphasized that there would be no budget cuts for employee benefits, lecturer benefits, or student scholarships.

Minister of Higher Education, Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, stated that the majority of the total 2025 budget of Rp56.6 trillion has already been allocated directly to universities and scholarship students.

"The ministry does not manage more than 10 percent of the total budget allocation. So, this means that the allocated budget for universities or students is highly unlikely affected by the efficiency," said Satryo during a working meeting with the House of Representatives Commission X on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.

Social assistance funds and scholarships not affected by the efficiency measures include the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP), Indonesian Education Scholarships (BPI), Higher Education Affirmation Scholarships (ADIK), Developing Countries Partnership Scholarships (KNB), as well as scholarships for lecturers and educational staff, both domestically and abroad.

Satryo explained that the initial KIP scholarship budget was Rp 14.69 trillion. However, the General Directorate of Budgeting implemented an efficiency measure of Rp1.31 trillion, or about 9 percent. He proposed that the budget remain at the original Rp14.69 trillion and not be subject to further cuts.

Hammam Izzuddin and M Rizki Yusrial contributed to the writing of this article.

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