{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1974143,
        "msgid": "bgn-removes-1-653-elite-schools-from-free-meal-program-1789120293",
        "date": "2026-09-11 16:17:37",
        "title": "BGN removes 1,653 elite schools from free meal program",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_EN",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has excluded 1,653 high-standard private and international schools from its free meal programme to ensure more targeted distribution. This update, conducted alongside relevant ministries, aims to prioritise schools that rely on government assistance and focus on improving nutritional status across Indonesia.",
        "content": "<p>BGN Head Sudaryono said in a statement on Thursday that most of the\nremoved educational institutions are private schools with\ninternational-level standards and schools affiliated with international\nor national institutions.<\/p>\n<p>The list also excludes schools that are financially independent and\ndo not rely on government School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds.<\/p>\n<p>BGN updated the list of targeted beneficiaries in collaboration with\nthe Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Ministry of\nReligious Affairs to obtain more comprehensive data on schools across\nthe country.<\/p>\n<p>The data covers more than 580,000 schools across Indonesia, including\npublic schools, Islamic schools (madrasahs), Islamic boarding schools\n(pesantren), and other religious educational institutions.<\/p>\n<p>Of that total, more than 340,000 schools have already been reached by\nMBG services.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMore than 340,000 schools have received or are being served by the\nMBG program, meaning there are still about 240,000 schools that have\nnot,\u201d Sudaryono explained.<\/p>\n<p>He added that BGN has received numerous requests from educational\ninstitutions that are not currently covered by the program. Each request\nwill be followed up through verification and assessment by BGN before\nthe institution is provided with free meal services.<\/p>\n<p>According to Sudaryono, updating beneficiary data is essential to\nensuring that the expansion of the free meal program is carried out in a\ntargeted manner.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, the program focuses not only on the number of schools\nserved but also takes into account the specific priorities and\nconditions of each region.<\/p>\n<p>Targeting millions of beneficiaries nationwide, the MBG program was\nlaunched in early 2025 as a flagship program of the Prabowo Subianto\nadministration to improve the nutritional status of toddlers, pregnant\nwomen, breastfeeding mothers, and school-age children.<\/p>\n<p>Related news: Free meals halted at schools in West Java amid volcanic\nash risks<\/p>\n<p>Related news: BGN refutes claims schools forced to reopen for MBG\namid haze<\/p>\n<p>Related news: Gov\u2019t prioritizing 111 MBG kitchen activation in remote\nareas<\/p>\n<p>Translator: A Rauf, Raka Adji<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bgn-removes-1-653-elite-schools-from-free-meal-program-1789120293",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}