Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission X,\nLalu Hadrian Irfani, has requested that the Ministry of Primary and\nSecondary Education investigate reports of students being mobilised in\nBatam to participate in a demonstration supporting the Free Nutritious\nMeals (MBG) programme. Lalu stated that Commission X had recently\ncoordinated with the Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and\nSecondary Education, Gogot Suharwoto.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe asked them to investigate the truth of this news. In principle,\nsuch movements should not affect the teaching and learning process,\u201d\nLalu said at the DPR building in Jakarta on Wednesday, 24 June 2025.<\/p>\n
Lalu noted that the news was also surprising to the Ministry of\nPrimary and Secondary Education. The ministry subsequently coordinated\nwith the Batam City Education Office and the Riau Islands Provincial\nGovernment.<\/p>\n
The National Awakening Party (PKB) politician disagreed with\ninvolving students in protests or demonstrations supporting MBG, as it\nwould disrupt the learning process at schools. He encouraged that\naspirations be conveyed solely by teachers or school principals to the\nlocal education office.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not want these students to take to the streets. It is enough\nfor the school to convey the message,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of primary and junior high school students in Batam City\ntook part in an aspiration parade supporting the Free Nutritious Meals\nproject on Sunday, 21 June 2026. The student parade was held in front of\nthe Batam City DPRD building.<\/p>\n
They carried banners and posters supporting President Prabowo\nSubianto\u2019s programme. Some of them were seen wearing school uniforms.\nLike a typical demonstration, this pro-MBG action also featured speeches\nfrom a command vehicle prepared by the organisers.<\/p>\n
A teacher who wished to remain anonymous said there was no official\ninvitation for the parade; invitations were only circulated via WhatsApp\nmessages in school groups. \u201cWe were also shocked, especially since it\nwas on a Sunday, so we were forced to attend,\u201d the teacher said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Head of the Batam City Education Office, Hendri Arulan,\nconfirmed that he had mobilised teachers and students for the pro-MBG\nparade. His reasoning was that recently many parents had protested\nbecause the MBG programme in Batam had stalled due to a budget\nfreeze.<\/p>\n
He also confirmed gathering teachers to discuss the parents\u2019\ncomplaints. Consequently, the meeting initiated the idea of holding the\nparade in support of MBG. \u201cThis is the appropriate action for us to\ntake, to convey our input to DPRD members so they can pass it on to the\ncentral government, that this MBG programme is good,\u201d he told\njournalists during the parade.<\/p>\n
Hendri did not respond to complaints from teachers who felt compelled\nto attend the parade. He also stressed that neither teachers nor\nstudents were obligated to come, and the invitation was only for those\nwho were willing.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dpr-urges-investigation-into-student-mobilisation-for-mbg-support-in-batam-1782284094", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }