Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs: MBG Programme Needed for Pesantren and Religious Education
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Romo Muhammad Syafi’i has emphasised that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme is greatly needed by students in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) and other religious education units under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
“This programme is very much needed by the community, and its benefits are clearly felt on the ground,” said Romo Syafi’i after a coordination meeting with BGN officials and the Presidential Staff Office in Jakarta on Monday.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs, he said, is pushing for the acceleration and implementation of the MBG programme across all educational units under the ministry so that its benefits can soon be more widely felt by students and educational personnel.
Romo Syafi’i also conveyed that an agreement has been reached regarding providing space for educational units under the Ministry of Religious Affairs that have more than 1,000 students or santri to establish independent Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) within the educational environments they manage.
“This is a very positive step because pesantren and religious education units can be more independent in managing nutrition fulfilment services for their santri and students,” said the Deputy Minister.
In addition, the Deputy Minister stressed that the MBG kitchen concept in pesantren needs to be adaptive while still considering the characteristics and needs of the pesantren.
Secretary General of the National Nutrition Agency Sarwono reaffirmed BGN’s commitment to continue strengthening cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Affairs in successfully implementing the MBG programme in pesantren and religious education units.
According to him, collaboration between BGN and the Ministry of Religious Affairs is important to ensure the MBG programme runs effectively, on target, and can reach more pesantren and santri throughout Indonesia.
“BGN is ready to collaborate and synergise with the Ministry of Religious Affairs to succeed the Free Nutritious Meals programme in pesantren, including in strengthening service governance, implementation coordination, and developing systems that are adaptive to pesantren characteristics,” said Sarwono.