Ministry of Education and Science and Technology coordinates with LPDP on confiscated corruption money for scholarships

Jakarta – The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology will follow President Prabowo Subianto’s order and request that money confiscated from corruption in the export of crude palm oil (CPO) and derivatives of IDR 13 trillion, part of which is budgeted for scholarships from the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP). Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Stella Christie, said that her party would coordinate directly with the LPDP. “Yes, as a follow-up, we will map with the LPDP immediately. For example, because we worked together, what I said was that research funding under the President increased by 218 percent, one of which was the biggest contribution from the LPDP,” Stella said at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Monday (10/20/2025). SCROLL TO CONTINUE CONTENT Stella said that her ministry will work out the allocation of the bursary budget together with the LPDP. According to him, President Prabowo pays great attention to human resource development in the field of science and technology. “Because the LPDP has endowment funds that are meant for education, higher education and research. So we will map it immediately because you want to produce human resources that are excellent in the field of science and technology, but also better in other areas, which the country really needs,” he said. Stella said that higher education scholarships are not only meant for students but also for lecturers. Apart from that, the Ministry of Higher Education will also use the additional LPDP funds to support research at universities. “If, for example, there is still a shortage in the field of technology, we can build scholarships. These scholarships are not only intended for undergraduate students, but also for our lecturers to improve their competence. Then we can also use the funds given to the LPDP, because there is also a research endowment fund under the LPDP, the proceeds of which are used directly by the Ministry of Education and Science,” says Stella. “So what research is strategically needed by the country, we will map out what the country needs. So of course we have to increase food security, energy security, our research in energy. This has already happened at the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology,” he concluded. Prabowo previously instructed Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to increase the budget for scholarships from the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP). Prabowo said that one of the additional sources of LPDP funds comes from the refund of the crude palm oil (CPO) export corruption case and Rp. 13 billion in derivatives that have just been returned to the treasury. This was conveyed by Prabowo on Monday (20/10/2025) during the Plenary Cabinet Session for 1 year of government at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Ministers were present at the session. “We educate them with full scholarships, I will add LPDP, the money from the remaining savings efficiency, the money we get from the corrupters, we invest most of it in the LPDP. Maybe the Rp. 13 trillion was donated or taken by the Attorney General that was handed over to the Minister of Finance today. Maybe the Minister of Finance said in the future,” said Prabo. (fca/deck)