JAKARTA, JOURNALARTA.COM – The impact of Nadiem Makarim’s verdict in the corruption case over the information technology project has now led to the complete suspension of the Rp2.18 trillion Chromebook procurement program for schools across Indonesia. The court decision on June 30, 2026, has left the national education digitalization direction initiated by the former education minister without a clear path.
This legal move has delivered a massive direct impact on the education ecosystem in the regions. The ambitious laptop distribution project, originally aimed at narrowing the digital divide in public schools, is now effectively neglected with no clarity on system maintenance.
Case analysis shows that Nadiem Makarim’s 10-year sentence as of June 30, 2026, was based on state losses estimated at Rp2.18 trillion in the Chromebook project for the 2019-2022 period. Under these conditions, the continuation of the school digitalization program is now entirely dependent on the policy direction of the new minister.
The Impact of Nadiem Makarim’s Verdict on Indonesia’s Digital Education
The heavy sentence handed down by the judge brings five major consequences for the course of technology-based education in the country:
1. The Kemendikbudristek Chromebook Program 2019-2022 Is at Risk of Being Stopped
Procurement of Chromebook units along with the Chrome Device Management (CDM) licensing system has now been completely halted. Various schools that have received the devices but have not yet obtained CDM activation and technical training now find the donated laptops sitting idle. The 2026 state budget allocation for digitalization has also been cut and redirected to fund repairs to physically damaged school infrastructure.
2. TIK Teachers and School Operators Panic
Thousands of honorary TIK teachers who have been employed and paid through the digitalization program are at risk of being laid off due to the lack of operating funds. Schools in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas that rely heavily on Chromebook assistance are forced to return to conventional learning methods using blackboards, widening the digital divide even further.
3. Public Trust in EdTech Collapses
The case involving Rp809 billion in fund flows from PT AKAB through Gojek has triggered a wave of public distrust toward partnership schemes between government agencies and technology startups. This has made foreign EdTech investors reconsider putting money into Indonesia, while the digital-tinged national program name “Merdeka Belajar” has officially been removed from the national program narrative.
4. Total Review of School ICT Procurement
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) together with the new leadership of Kemendikbud is required to conduct a comprehensive audit of hundreds of thousands of Chromebook laptops procured in 2019-2022. Every school is now required to report the physical condition of laptop units periodically, with principals bearing full responsibility for any loss or damage that could trigger new legal offenses.
5. The New 2026 Education Minister’s Policy Returns to Conventional Methods
The new education minister is projected to refocus the budget on teacher welfare, the procurement of physical books, and repairs to damaged school buildings. The digitalization program will be suspended until a strict oversight system is in place. Going forward, the use of Chromebooks is being discussed as being replaced with locally assembled Windows-based laptops to avoid monopolistic practices by foreign operating systems.
The Fate of Chromebooks Already Purchased
Referring to official Kemendikbud data, there are hundreds of thousands of Chromebook units that have been distributed across various elementary to junior high school levels during the 2019-2022 period. The court verdict has triggered new operational problems for these items:
- Without CDM licenses: The Chrome OS system in schools does not receive regular security updates, leaving it vulnerable to cyberattacks.
- Without teacher training: Most educators in remote areas were not equipped with the skills to operate the Google Classroom ecosystem optimally.
- Expensive spare parts: Official repair service centers are very limited, making it difficult for schools in 3T areas to carry out independent servicing if the devices are damaged.
- Gray legal status: A number of units now have the status of legal evidence, creating fear among principals about using them in daily teaching and learning activities.
As a way out to avoid wasting the budget, the state has the option to sell the devices cheaply to the public or donate them to religious education institutions such as pesantren.
What Do Education Experts Say About This Verdict?
A number of education experts view the 10-year prison sentence for the former minister as both a reflection and a very costly lesson for the direction of digitalization in Indonesia’s public sector. At least three main points were highlighted by observers:
First, the digitalization of the education sector must absolutely prioritize transparent governance in goods and services procurement. The procurement scheme for information technology devices must go through an open tender mechanism without interference or insertions from certain corporate vendors.
Second, improving teacher competency must always come before distributing hardware. Without readiness and strong digital literacy among teachers in the classroom, Rp3 million-per-unit Chromebooks will only end up as display items in school cabinets.
Third, the existence of an independent oversight system and periodic audits is mandatory. The Rp2.18 trillion in state financial losses, which were only legally detected after four years, proves a fatal weakness in the ministry’s internal control system.
Comparison of Digitalization Programs in the Nadiem Era vs. the New Era
The shift in leadership and policy after the legal verdict brings radical changes to the roadmap for school technology adoption:
| Aspect | Nadiem Era 2019-2024 | Predicted New Era 2026+ |
|---|---|---|
| Device Focus | Chromebook + Google OS | Locally assembled laptops + Windows |
| Project Budget | Rp2.18 trillion | Cut by up to 50% |
| Main Target | Instant digital equality | Basic infrastructure + teacher quality |
| Oversight System | Very weak/loose | Strict audit by the KPK & BPK |
What do you think? Should the Chromebook procurement program from the Nadiem Makarim era be stopped completely or continued with strict oversight and audits? Share your opinion in the comments by writing “CONTINUE BUT AUDIT” if you want digitalization to keep running cleanly, or write “STOP FOR NOW” if you think the budget is better allocated to improving teachers and conventional schools.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Impact of the Chromebook Case Verdict
Q: What is the impact of Nadiem’s verdict on the school Chromebook program?
A: The 2019-2022 Chromebook program has been completely stopped. As a result, the hundreds of thousands of laptops already sent to schools are no longer receiving security system updates or teacher training.
Q: How much was the state loss in the Chromebook case in trillions?
A: Based on the court ruling as of June 30, 2026, the total state loss in this procurement project reached Rp2.18 trillion.
Q: What happens to honorary TIK teachers after Nadiem’s verdict?
A: Honorary TIK teachers are at risk of being laid off following cuts to the national digitalization program budget, as schools shift their focus back to conventional learning methods.
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