BGN Chief Gathers Feedback from Schoolchildren in Aceh Besar on Free Nutritious Meals Programme

Banda Aceh (ANTARA) – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is gathering feedback from schoolchildren on the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in Aceh Besar regency, Aceh province.

BGN chief Sudaryono said in Aceh Besar on Tuesday that schoolchildren are direct beneficiaries of the national programme. Their feedback, he said, forms part of its evaluation.

“We spoke with the children today and listened to what they want from the MBG programme. We asked which foods they like,” Sudaryono said.

He made the remarks while inspecting the programme at Cot Meuraja State Primary School in Blangbintang district, Aceh Besar. He was accompanied by House of Representatives member TA Khalid and ate with the children in their classroom.

Sudaryono said the BGN recognised that many issues remained in the programme’s implementation and would continue working to resolve them so it could meet expectations.

“We are continuing to improve the MBG programme so it reaches the right people, including by using Education Ministry data identifying student beneficiaries by name and address,” he said.

Sudaryono said the programme had increased children’s protein consumption. He also said the proportion of schoolchildren who attended school hungry had fallen from 50 per cent to 14 per cent.

The BGN would continue expanding the programme, including to Indonesia’s frontier, outermost and disadvantaged (3T) regions, to increase children’s protein consumption.

“We are also improving the SPPG [nutrition service units]. The BGN, rather than the SPPG, will determine the beneficiaries. We will also enforce stricter monitoring and operational standards in implementing the MBG programme,” Sudaryono said.