Since 2007, conditional cash transfers (CCTs) have been implemented to improve human capital of the children from poor families in Indonesia. The program disburses continuous stipends to poor households, conditions on some behavioural changes. Although there is vast evidence that CCTs change behaviour through educational improvements of the children, little has been known whether these arise from monetary incentives or the conditions change parents’ aspiration for their children’ education. This study aims to explore perspectives of the CCTs program beneficiaries in Yogyakarta Province with regard to educational aspiration of their children. The data collection is based on qualitative approach through semi-structured in-depth interviews using Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) Model. Thirty program beneficiaries spread over five districts/cities were taken as informants. Interviews were also done with five program facilitators to obtain triangulation.

We observed that the CCTs have provided the opportunity for the beneficiaries to invest in their children’s education. This works not only through the monetary transfer but also regular report and monitoring from facilitators and sanction of program termination if caught disobeying the conditions. Although the CCTs program seem to strengthen the educational aspiration of the parents, it is important to note that the higher the education level the more costly it is, especially when free public schools are increasingly competitive to access and private schools are not affordable. These factors have become the barriers for the parents. Thus, reinforcing parents’ aspiration through CCTs program is necessary but not sufficient to attain higher education of the children.