Efficiency or Neglect? Cutting Education and Health Budgets as a Betrayal of the Constitution

Wahyu Hidayat

Contributor

19 Feb 2025 · 08:12 19 February 2025 08:12 WIB 5 minutes reading time: 5 minutes 1 read

This paper criticizes the policy of cutting education and health budgets which is contrary to Articles 31 and 34 of the 1945 Constitution. This policy im

Efficiency or Neglect? Cutting Education and Health Budgets as a Betrayal of the Constitution

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Table of Contents

Efficiency Policies That Contradict the Constitution
Impact of Budget Cuts: The State Fails to Protect Its Citizens
1. Deteriorating Education, Dark Future
2. Health Sacrificed, People Suffer
3. Teachers and Medical Personnel: Pillars of the Nation That Are Sidelined
Manipulation of the Efficiency Narrative: The State Chooses Other Interests Over the Rights of the People
Conclusion: The State Is Failing, and the People Are Bearing the Consequences

Section 2/3: Impact of Budget Cuts: The State Fails to Protect Its Citizens

Impact of Budget Cuts: The State Fails to Protect Its Citizens

1. Deteriorating Education, Dark Future

Cutting education funds is not just a technical problem, but a systematic neglect of the nation's decline. Schools lack facilities, the quality of teaching decreases, and more and more children cannot access quality education. This cut not only closes the door to the future for the younger generation, but also reinforces the social inequality that is already entrenched.

2. Health Sacrificed, People Suffer

When the health budget is cut, who is most affected? Not those who can afford expensive health services, but the poor who should be protected by the state. Article 34 Paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution clearly states that the state is obliged to care for the poor, but in reality, they are increasingly difficult to access decent health services.

Ironically, the state is worsening the situation by limiting BPJS services, raising drug prices, and reducing health subsidies. This is not just neglect, but an action that directly plunges people into suffering.

3. Teachers and Medical Personnel: Pillars of the Nation That Are Sidelined

Teachers and health workers are the backbone of the nation. However, budget cut policies are making them even worse off. Low salaries, minimal facilities, and lack of support from the state make many teachers and medical personnel lose their enthusiasm. How can we expect to get a superior generation and a healthy society if those who are in charge of educating and caring for the people are not appreciated?