Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  The Ministry of Finance rejected claims that Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati had labeled teachers a burden on the state, clarifying that a viral video circulating online was a hoax.

“The video saying teachers are a burden to the state is fake. The Finance Minister never made such a statement,” said Finance Ministry spokesperson Deni Surjantoro on Tuesday (19/8/2025), as quoted by antaranews.com.

According to the ministry, the footage was a manipulated deepfake and a misleading cut from Minister Sri Mulyani’s remarks at the Science, Technology, and Industry Convention at Bandung Institute of Technology on 7 August 2025. 

In reality, the minister had been discussing state spending allocations for teachers and lecturers, noting the financial challenges of relying solely on government funds.

The government has allocated Rp 757.8 trillion (USD 46 billion) for education in the 2026 draft state budget, with Rp 178.7 trillion earmarked for teacher salaries, training, and welfare, alongside professional allowances for both civil servant and non-civil servant teachers.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)