TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry responded to the plan for a free lunch program to be funded by the School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds. The free lunch program was initiated by the presidential and vice presidential candidate number 2 Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

The ministry’s Early Childhood Education Director Iwan Syahril said there had been no discussion regarding the program thus far. “No discussion yet,” he said briefly when met at the ministry’s office building on March 5.

Iwan added that the ministry implemented programs by referring to the financial note. “That’s all I can say.”

The financial note is a document that outlines the law of the state budget and contains financial plans and fiscal policies for the government in one fiscal year.

Previously, several teachers’ associations have criticized the free lunch program that was intended to be funded by the BOS funds. The Teachers' Association (P2G) opposed the plan because the BOS funds were used to pay the salaries of honorary educators.

On Feb. 29, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto proposed that the free lunch program be funded from the education budget before launching the program trial in Tangerang.

HENDRIK YAPUTRA

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