"The video claiming that teachers are a burden to the state is a hoax. The Minister of Finance never made such a statement," said Deni Surjantoro, head of the ministry’s Communication and Information Services Bureau, on Tuesday.
He clarified that the video was a deepfake and an edited excerpt from Sri Mulyani's speech at the Indonesian Science, Technology, and Industry Convention Forum at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) on August 7.
In her remarks, Sri Mulyani had been discussing budget allocations for teachers and lecturers.
"The second cluster is for teachers and lecturers. This covers expenditures ranging from salaries to performance allowances. I often see on social media comments such as, 'Oh, being a lecturer or teacher is undervalued because the salary is not high.' This is also one of the challenges for state finances. Should all of this be funded solely by the state, or should there also be participation from society?" she said.
For 2026, the government has allocated Rp757.8 trillion (around US$46.6 billion) for education in the State Budget Draft (RAPBN). Of that amount, Rp178.7 trillion (around US$11 billion) is earmarked specifically for teacher salaries, competency improvement, and welfare for both teachers and lecturers.
President Prabowo Subianto, in his state address on August 15, said the education budget will focus on improving teacher quality, strengthening vocational education, and aligning curriculums with workforce needs.
Surjantoro urged the public to be more discerning when consuming information from social media.
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Translator: Imamatul Silfia , Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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