BGN Responds to Student Expulsion Over Parent's Criticism of MBG, Clarifies the Matter
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has responded regarding a student in Pemalang who was reportedly expelled for criticising the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. It was previously reported that a student from SDN 01 Banjaranyar in Pemalang Regency, Central Java, was expelled from school because their parent criticised the government programme.
The BGN Regional Coordinator for Central Java, Reza Mahendra, denied the news. He stated that the information was untrue and stemmed from a misunderstanding that had been resolved by the school.
“The incident at SDN 01 Banjaranyar regarding a student being expelled for being critical of MBG is not true,” he said in a BGN press statement on Tuesday (5/5/2026).
“To date, no student has been expelled. The student remains enrolled. The issue has been resolved by the school through providing education to the student’s guardian about the MBG budget allocation, which was the guardian’s complaint,” he emphasised.
He added that the controversy circulating in society originated from the parents’ misunderstanding regarding the amount of the MBG menu budget, particularly during the fasting month period. The parents thought the MBG package price was Rp15,000, whereas the applicable rate is Rp8,000 for small portions and Rp10,000 for large portions.
The school then provided an explanation to clarify the information. However, after the meeting, the student in question did not return to school.
The situation escalated after allegations emerged on social media claiming bullying by the school. The school is said to have attempted to persuade the student and their parents to return, but it was unsuccessful.
The case was then handed over to the legal route after resolution efforts through the education department yielded no results. In the investigation process, the SPPG stated that it has been monitoring the case since April 2026.
The school has also coordinated with relevant departments and undergone examinations at the Pemalang Police Resort six times, with the main focus on the alleged bullying issue, not criticism of MBG. On 2 May 2026, the school underwent another BAP at the Pemalang Police Resort, where on 4 May 2026, the school met with legal representatives and related parties to continue the resolution process.
To date, the case resolution process is ongoing with assistance from provincial-level legal representatives. BGN emphasises its commitment to continuously improving the quality of MBG services and ensuring the programme runs optimally in the school environment.