Govt Starts Monthly Teacher Allowance Payments in 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has begun rolling out monthly disbursements of the Teacher Professional Allowance (TPG), marking a shift to provide greater income certainty for more than one million civil servant teachers nationwide.

The policy reflects President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to improving teacher welfare by ensuring more predictable and timely payments.

For 2026, the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has projected a budget of IDR 72.2 trillion (approximately USD 4.6 billion) for civil servant teachers’ professional allowances.

Director General for Teachers, Education Personnel, and Teacher Education, Nunuk Suryani, said the monthly distribution scheme represents the state's recognition of teachers’ professionalism and performance.

“The monthly distribution of allowances is a form of government appreciation for teachers’ performance and professionalism. This policy is expected to strengthen teachers’ welfare so they can focus more on their primary role as educators,” Nunuk said, as reported by the official Ministry's website on Friday, January 30, 2026.

She added that the government hopes the allowance will not only support daily needs but also be used to improve competencies and professional development, in line with the mandate of the 2005 Teachers and Lecturers Law.

“To all teachers who hold educator certification, the government continues to pursue policies that favor teacher welfare. We encourage teachers to continue demonstrating their best performance, improving their competencies, and becoming the front line in educating the nation. Quality education can only be achieved through professional and dedicated teachers,” she said.

As of the end of January 2026, the ministry had recommended the disbursement of January allowances for 1.2 million civil servant teachers to the Finance Ministry. The timing of transfers into individual bank accounts depends on the applicable disbursement stages.

Teachers who receive the monthly allowance have welcomed the policy, citing tangible improvements in financial stability and work motivation.

Endah Wahyuningsih, a teacher at the state-run elementary school SDN Pehwetan 1 Kediri in East Java, expressed appreciation for the policy's implementation. “As a teacher, I would like to thank President Prabowo, Minister of Elementary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti, and Director General Nunuk Suryani for fulfilling the promise of monthly TPG disbursement. We truly feel the benefits, and this policy proves the government’s real attention to teachers’ welfare,” she said.

Zulianti, a teacher at the state-run kindergarten TK Negeri Pembina Bantul in Yogyakarta, also welcomed the policy, saying it has boosted morale and performance. “It feels like there is greater appreciation for the efforts and work carried out consistently. I hope policies like this can be maintained because they truly benefit recipients,” she said.

The ministry said the allowance distribution is conducted through an integrated system linked to national education data to ensure transparency, accuracy, and effective targeting. Coordination continues across ministries and agencies to ensure smooth disbursement nationwide.

Teachers eligible for the allowance have been urged to ensure their employment data, workload requirements, and bank accounts are accurate and active to avoid technical issues during disbursement.

Looking ahead, Kemendikdasmen said it will continue evaluating and refining teacher allowance policies as part of broader governance reforms aimed at creating a simpler, fairer, and more sustainable system, while supporting long-term improvements in Indonesia’s human resource quality. ***