Indonesia's decision to appoint core staff of its Free Nutritious Meals programme kitchens as contract-based civil servants has sparked parliamentary warnings and criticism over recruitment standards, fiscal priorities, and widening inequality with honorary teachers.
Indonesia's ambitious Free Nutritious Meals programme (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG) has entered a new and controversial phase following the government's decision to appoint key kitchen staff as contract-based civil servants, a move that has reignited debate over fiscal priorities, procedural justice, and inequality within the public sector.
At the centre of the latest development is a plan by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to grant Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK) status to core personnel working in Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi, SPPG) – the public kitchens that underpin the nationwide school meals programme.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad confirmed that he had only recently learned of the plan during a hearing with Commission IX of the House of Representatives on 20 January 2026.
Speaking at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, Dasco urged caution, emphasising that state employment carried clear obligations. He warned that SPPG staff elevated to PPPK status must meet professional qualifications and perform their duties responsibly.
"They have been recruited by the state," Dasco said. "For that reason, they must work properly."
He added that the relevant parliamentary commission had prepared recommendations on recruitment standards, which were presented by the head of the National Nutrition Agency, with the stated aim of ensuring that those appointed are capable of carrying out their roles effectively on the ground.
Who qualifies for PPPK status?
Earlier, the head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, announced that long-serving core staff at SPPG kitchens would be formally appointed as PPPK starting 1 February 2026.
According to Dadan, eligibility is limited to three strategic positions:
- Head of SPPG
- Nutritionist
- Accountant
"These are the core staff of the National Nutrition Agency in each SPPG," he said. "Almost all of those who have been operating for a long time will become PPPK."
Newer recruits, however, will be required to undergo future recruitment tests, while volunteers and auxiliary workers – such as cooks, sanitation staff, field assistants, and kitchen volunteers – are excluded from the scheme. These workers are considered part of partner organisations rather than state personnel.
This interpretation has been reiterated by the agency's deputy head, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, who stressed that the term "SPPG employees" in the relevant regulation refers narrowly to staff with strategic technical and administrative functions.
Legal Basis: Presidential Regulation No. 111/2025
The policy is grounded in Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2025 (also referred to as No. 115/2025), issued in November 2025 to provide a legal framework for the MBG programme after months of criticism over regulatory ambiguity.
Article 17 of the regulation states that SPPG employees "shall be appointed as PPPK in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations".
However, the regulation itself does not specify which professions fall under this category, leaving room for interpretation and controversy.
Under Indonesian law, PPPK are Indonesian citizens appointed under fixed-term employment contracts to carry out governmental duties, with salaries and benefits funded directly from the state budget.
Questions over recruitment and fiscal impact
The decision to grant PPPK status to SPPG staff has drawn sharp criticism from policy analysts and legal experts, particularly regarding recruitment procedures and budgetary consequences.
Alvin, a legal analyst quoted by Suara.com, noted that the recruitment pathway for SPPG employees remains opaque.
"It is unclear whether their competencies uniformly meet the required standards," he said, adding that the transfer of salary obligations to the state budget raises serious fiscal questions.
With PPPK status, SPPG employees' wages are no longer borne by implementing partners but by taxpayers.
Critics argue that this effectively reduces operational costs for partner organisations, potentially increasing their profit margins while shifting financial risk to the state.
Calls have been made for transparent workforce planning, open vacancy announcements, competitive selection processes, and public disclosure of results – procedures typically required for civil service recruitment but largely absent in the SPPG case.
Structural injustice and the teachers' backlash
Perhaps the most politically sensitive criticism has come from the education sector, where the policy is widely viewed as unfair to honorary teachers who have waited years – sometimes decades – for similar recognition.
Media Wahyudi Askar, a lecturer in public policy at Gadjah Mada University, described the move as a case of "structural injustice".
"SPPG employees have been given the red carpet," he said. "This violates the principle of procedural justice, especially when compared to the treatment of honorary teachers."
Indonesia is home to tens of thousands of non-permanent teachers who have repeatedly failed to secure PPPK status due to limited quotas and budget constraints at regional level.
Many now face legal uncertainty following reforms that prohibit public schools from employing honorary teachers without at least part-time PPPK status.
Salary Disparities: PPPK Kitchen Staff Versus Honorary Teachers
The sense of injustice has been sharpened by stark differences in remuneration.
Under the national PPPK salary scheme regulated by Presidential Regulation No. 11 of 2024, PPPK salaries are determined by grade and years of service.
At entry-level operational positions (Grade III), base salaries range from approximately US$140 to US$205 per month.
Higher grades offer substantially more, with senior levels reaching US$240 to US$285 per month in base pay alone, before allowances.
For MBG-related roles, the financial picture is even clearer:
- Operational kitchen staff under MBG previously earned around US$130-US$160 per month before PPPK appointment.
- Heads of SPPG kitchens could earn up to US$410 per month even before formal civil service status.
- Nutritionists and coordinators typically receive between US$225 and US$515 per month, depending on role and location.
Once appointed as PPPK, core SPPG staff may be placed in Grade III or higher, receiving base salaries of US$140-US$205 per month, plus additional allowances.
These include family benefits – around 10 per cent of base salary for a spouse and 2 per cent per child (up to two children) – as well as performance-based incentives. As a result, total monthly take-home pay can rise to between US$190 and US$515, or higher for senior roles.
By contrast, the government recently announced that monthly incentives for non-civil servant (non-ASN) or honorary teachers will increase from Rp300,000 to Rp400,000 starting in 2026 – equivalent to a rise from roughly US$19 to US$26 per month.
While welcomed symbolically, the increase has done little to narrow the income gap. Even at the lowest PPPK grade, MBG kitchen staff earn five to ten times more per month than the incentive received by honorary teachers – despite many teachers having served for years or decades in public schools.
Education advocates argue that this disparity underscores why the PPPK appointments for MBG staff have triggered such widespread resentment within the teaching profession.
Constitutional and budgetary concerns
Legal scholars have also raised constitutional issues. Yance Arizona, a constitutional law lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, argued that the policy reflects a lack of clear principles in the allocation of public funds.
Indonesia's Constitution mandates that at least 20 per cent of the state budget be allocated to education. Critics contend that diverting large sums to MBG – including the salaries of SPPG staff – risks breaching this requirement, as the programme more closely resembles a social welfare and public health initiative than an education function.
A programme under broader scrutiny
The controversy surrounding SPPG staffing is unfolding against a backdrop of growing public unease over the MBG programme itself.
In the 2026 State Budget, MBG received an allocation of US$21.3 billion, making it one of the largest single spending items in Indonesian history. Nearly 30 per cent of the national education budget is now channelled into a programme that provides one free meal per day to students – regardless of income or nutritional status.
Critics point to weak targeting, regional imbalances favouring relatively affluent areas on Java, and significant opportunity costs, particularly as Indonesia grapples with underfunded schools, disaster recovery needs, and persistent poverty in eastern provinces.