BGN: Free Nutritious Meal Programme Does Not Disrupt Health and Education Budgets

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has responded to concerns that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme would disrupt the budgets of other ministries. BGN stated that no funds from other ministries have been taken by the MBG this year.

BGN Head Dadan Hindayana explained that for the group of pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children, the budget allocation is classified within the health function output breakdown.

For 2026, there is a budget of Rp 24 trillion recorded within the health function by BGN. He assured that this budget does not disrupt the budget ceiling of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes).

“There is a BGN budget of Rp 24 trillion classified within the health function, but it does not disrupt the Ministry of Health’s budget. This is evident from the fact that the Health Ministry’s budget has increased year-on-year, despite the Rp 24 trillion for 2026 in the health function carried out by the National Nutrition Agency,” Dadan told journalists on Sunday, 1 March 2026.

Dadan explained that the same situation applies to the education budget. BGN assured that it is not reducing the budget allocation of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) or the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek).

“Then for the school-age children group, including Islamic boarding school students and other religious schools, this falls under the education function output breakdown. That is why there is a Rp 223 trillion budget for education, but it does not disrupt the budget from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education because it has continued to increase year-on-year. It does not disrupt the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology because from last year to this year it has also increased,” Dadan continued.

Additionally, Dadan also assured that the central government transfer to regions for teacher allowances continues to increase, rising nearly 10 per cent compared to the previous year.

“Furthermore, it does not disrupt the central government transfer to regions for teacher allowances because from last year to this year it has increased by 10 per cent,” he said.