“It is imperative for us to combat corruption,” Prabowo said during a visit to South Jakarta-based 10 Margaguna high school operating under the tuition-free Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) program.
He said curbing corrupt practices is crucial to ensuring education funds are properly used.
Prabowo noted that the government allocated 690 trillion rupiah ($41.9 billion) for education in 2025, with 757.8 trillion rupiah ($46 billion) proposed for 2026.
But he said inefficiency and budget leakage remain problems, underscoring the need to safeguard state funds to strengthen the sector.
“We should improve the present instead of dwelling on the past. It is time for us to exert all-out efforts to save our resources,” he said.
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President Prabowo said savings must be directed to improving educational services to help shape a stronger future for the country.
He also urged schools to embrace technology in teaching and learning.
To support this, the government will distribute smart digital screens to 330,000 schools nationwide, he said.
Prabowo said the initiative aims to promote interactive digital learning and give students access to lessons anytime and anywhere, including via smartphones.
He expressed confidence that integrating digital tools into education would improve both quality and access for children across Indonesia.
The president said these efforts are part of his broader push to ensure every rupiah spent on education yields real benefits for students and teachers.
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Translator: Andi F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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