BEM FEB Unpad Rejects University's Involvement in Managing SPPG
A number of students from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at Universitas Padjadjaran have rejected the idea of their university participating in establishing a Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG). According to the Student Executive Board (BEM) FEB Unpad, the university has no interest in managing free nutritious meals (MBG) kitchens.
BEM FEB Unpad stated that the university’s involvement in the MBG project risks shifting the function of higher education institutions. “Unpad is not a catering company, not a state food distribution operator, and not a patch for public policy,” as stated in BEM FEB Unpad’s position statement on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.
According to the students, higher education institutions have many more crucial issues besides becoming MBG operators. For example, issues of education costs, welfare of educators, academic facilities, quality of learning, and access to decent education.
Universitas Padjadjaran, according to them, should prioritise resolving these fundamental issues within the campus environment first. In addition, students are concerned that the university could lose its independence if it participates in establishing SPPG. Because, if at some point there is criticism of the effectiveness of MBG, Unpad’s academic space could become non-independent due to direct involvement in its management.
Therefore, BEM FEB assesses that Unpad must not become an operator of government programmes like MBG. The university should maintain its independence and objectivity towards President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship programme. In this way, Unpad can still evaluate its policies.
BEM FEB stated that their position is not based on rejection of fulfilling public nutrition. “But rather on concerns about the direction of public policy governance, the independence of higher education institutions, and the potential shift in the main function of universities,” their release stated.
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN), responsible for the MBG programme, previously said that universities could have at least one SPPG to support the national nutrition improvement programme. BGN Head Dadan Hindayana said that higher education institutions have a strategic role in supporting the success of MBG.
“I think universities need to understand this, because this is a big opportunity. At minimum, have one SPPG first, and if possible, the supplies come from the academic community itself,” Dadan said as quoted by Antara on Thursday, 30 April 2026.
Dadan also encouraged universities to build and manage SPPG independently. He claimed that MBG kitchens could simultaneously become practical learning centres in the higher education environment.