Govt consider to raise lecturers' salary

Jakarta (ANTARA) -

Indonesia's Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology said it is mulling over the proposal to raise lecturers' salaries to Rp20-50 million per month in order to increase lecturers' welfare.

"The government is very focused on lecturers' welfare and we continue to carry out evaluations," Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said here on Thursday.

Yuliarto stated the ministry will continue exploring various approaches to improve the welfare of lecturers across nation. As it did in 2025, the ministry resumed the payment of performance bonuses for lecturers, after the programme had previously been suspended.

"Last year, we also provided performance bonuses. All of these efforts are aimed at improving lecturers' welfare," Yuliarto remarked.

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Earlier, the Association of Indonesian Academician Lecturers and Experts (Adaksi) proposed that lecturers in Indonesia receive monthly incomes ranging from Rp20 million to Rp50 million.

Adaksi's Chairperson Anggun Gunawan explained the proposal was based on the concept of a standard income that would enable lecturers to meet their families' living needs while carrying out their academic duties or a floor living wage.

"The proposed Rp20-50 million per month represents a decent and dignified total income, not merely a basic salary," he mentioned.

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Meanwhile, the Campus Workers Union (SPK) has requested the Constitutional Court interpreted the basic salary of lecturers under Law Number 14 of 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers as a salary, that is at least equivalent to the minimum wage applicable in the region where the university employing the lecturer is located.

"Manpower Law in 2003 provides a clear benchmark through the minimum wage. However, when the Law on Teachers and Lecturers in 2005 was enacted, the term shifted to minimum living needs, but no concrete benchmark was ever established," head of SPK's research team Rizma Afian Azhiim remarked.

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Translator: Sean, Kenzu

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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