DPR: Five-Day-a-Week Free Nutritious Meal Programme Already Efficient, Urges School Oversight of Menus

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — Wihadi Wijayanto, Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) Budget Committee, has responded positively to the National Nutrition Agency’s (BGN) move to make more efficient and targeted use of the state budget for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme through more efficient spending patterns, better targeting and budget refocusing, including distributing MBG for five days a week.

The five-day MBG policy is considered effective given that students’ activities centre on these five days, with no meals provided on holidays. Beyond safeguarding the programme’s sustainability, this efficiency is also expected to preserve its circular economic impact.

The DPR RI Budget Committee is also pushing for improvements in the governance of raw material procurement, as well as stronger food quality controls and staffing budgets at the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG). The DPR has also asked schools to exercise oversight over SPPG services regarding the quality of the food menus provided.

In assessing the programme’s success, the DPR measures MBG by whether children’s nutritional needs are met, viewing this as a long-term investment. The programme is also deemed successful when it can drive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and absorb labour, with the knock-on effect of lowering the Gini ratio.

How is the DPR RI overseeing the implementation of MBG? Watch the full dialogue between Shania Alatas and Wihadi Wijayanto, Deputy Chair of the DPR RI Budget Committee, on Squawk Box, CNBC Indonesia (Monday, 13/07/2026).