Batam Education Office: Free Nutritious Meals Operations Adjusted to At-Home Learning Policy

Batam (ANTARA) – Batam’s Education Office in the Riau Islands said operations of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme have been temporarily suspended in line with the at-home learning policy introduced because of unhealthy air quality.

Batam Education Office head Hendri Arulan said at-home learning for pupils at early childhood education centres, primary schools and junior secondary schools had been in effect since 7 October 2026, following a deterioration in air quality caused by haze in the city.

“On 7 October, we issued a circular to all education units under the Batam City Government, from early childhood education centres to primary and junior secondary schools, instructing them to conduct learning from home because air quality was unhealthy,” Hendri said in Batam on Wednesday.

As a result, distribution of MBG meals has also been temporarily halted to reflect the shift to learning at home.

He said Batam’s air quality index had reached 168 that day, according to a government monitoring app.

“We are prioritising children’s health. We must ensure their health is not put at risk in the future, because this smoke affects the lungs,” he said.

“So we can only pray that air quality improves and rain comes, so children can return to school and economic activity at the SPPG [Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units] can pick up again,” he said.

Meanwhile, Syartiwidya, head of the Pekanbaru Nutrition Fulfilment Service Office (KPPG), said MBG implementation would follow local government policies on at-home learning.

“If a region introduces distance learning or learning from home, SPPG units do not operate. The principle is ‘no service, no pay’, so there are no payments for incentives, raw materials and so on if an SPPG is not operating,” Syartiwidya said.

She added that the provision also applied to the 3B programme for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers. This was in line with guidance that services for MBG target groups should not be provided when the number of beneficiaries is below 1,000.

“SPPG operations will resume once the at-home learning policy is revoked and learning activities return in accordance with the rules,” she said.