BGN forms team to optimise MBG distribution for targeted beneficiaries

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has formed a team to optimise the distribution of Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) to ensure it is more targeted, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to focus on beneficiaries requiring nutritional improvements. Deputy Head of BGN, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, stated on her official Instagram account @nanik_deyang, quoted from Jakarta on Monday, that the team’s formation was prompted by her surprise inspection and investigation visits to several schools and Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) to verify improvements in the MBG programme’s quality. “With the permission of the Head of BGN, Mr Dadan Hindayana, I have formed an optimisation team for MBG distribution to ensure it is targeted, consisting of the investigation team under me, the deputy for promotion and cooperation, and the deputy for monitoring and supervision,” said Nanik. Nanik added that expensive private schools will be informed that they will not receive MBG, while for public schools in elite areas, which are heterogeneous, questionnaires will be distributed to indicate who wants MBG and who does not. “In this way, MBG will be provided to schools whose students truly want to receive and need it. Through this screening of beneficiaries, BGN can use the budget efficiently, while avoiding waste of state funds, as MBG becomes food waste due to students not eating it,” she explained. Nanik recounted that during her sudden inspection and investigation at several schools in Jakarta, she observed some packed meals that were not eaten because students were bored with the MBG menu served. “For several days, I deliberately visited several schools in Jakarta, and it was quite heartbreaking to see some packed meals uneaten, with the reason ‘bored with the continuous egg side dish’, said the primary school children in North Jakarta. There were also reasons that it was tastier to eat at the canteen,” said Nanik. She added that several DPR members also provided input that expensive schools with mostly students from affluent backgrounds should not receive MBG. “Similarly, in public schools with many students from capable backgrounds, it is necessary to ask who wants MBG and who does not, because on average the students already have better provisions or pocket money to snack at the canteen,” she stated. Nanik acknowledged receiving feedback from regional heads whose children attend expensive private schools in their areas but still receive MBG. “They said it was wasteful because it was not eaten, and sometimes taken home and given to household assistants,” said Nanik.