Prabowo Holds Special Meeting on Free Education from Primary to University Level

President Prabowo Subianto will hold a limited meeting (ratas) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta this afternoon. The meeting will discuss the government's plan to provide free education from primary school (SD) to state universities (PTN). Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that the meeting will specifically discuss the steps the government can take to realize free public education at all levels. "Yes, this afternoon the President will hold a limited meeting, discussing how public education can be free, from elementary school to state universities," Teddy said on Wednesday (23/9/2026). The meeting is a follow-up to President Prabowo's commitment to expand access to decent and equitable education for all children of the nation. Previously, Prabowo had stated that public education from elementary school to university should be broadly accessible to the public without cost burdens. "I strongly agree. I will immediately hold a limited meeting, the point is that public education costs must be free. The costs of public education for elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, and state universities must be free," Prabowo said during a speech at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (18/9). The government has also outlined a series of steps that are part of this agenda, including efforts to make public schools free, improve damaged educational facilities, and enhance the welfare and salaries of teachers.