JAKARTA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government has committed to prioritizing the development of education, allocating approximately 20 percent of the total 2024 state budget to the sector, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Friday.

"We see that education is extremely important because it determines the quality of our human resources. Moreover, the challenges ahead that Indonesia faces will not be easy," Indrawati remarked during a talk show streamed on her official social media account.

As of Dec. 24, 2024, the total realization of Indonesia's education spending reached 519.8 trillion rupiah (around 32 billion U.S. dollars), Indrawati noted. She emphasized that this budget has supported the implementation of various educational programs.

"We provide scholarships for students. We want them to study at the best schools," she added. ■