First Day of School: Free Nutritious Meals, Bomb Threat, and Flexitime for Civil Servants
The 2026/2027 academic year commenced across Indonesia on Monday, 13 July 2026, marked by the resumption of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme and a new government initiative to strengthen family bonds. At SDN Grogol Utara 05 Pagi in South Jakarta, meals consisting of rice, teriyaki chicken, fritters, stir-fried carrots, and watermelon were distributed early in the morning. Head of the school, Agung Tri, explained that the meals were served for breakfast rather than lunch to prevent spoilage, as the food had been prepared since the early hours. He noted that while some students ate immediately, others, particularly first graders still adapting, saved their food.
In a more concerning incident, SDN Srengseng Sawah 15 Pagi in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, received a bomb threat on the first day of school. Jagakarsa Police Chief Commissioner Nurma Dewi stated that the threat was reported around 7:30 a.m. WIB while teachers and students were holding a flag ceremony for the school orientation period (MPLS). Police evacuated the school, and a Gegana bomb squad and Densus 88 counter-terrorism unit were deployed to sweep the premises.
Elsewhere, the government encouraged fathers to participate in the ‘GAMAS’ movement, escorting their children on the first day of school to address the issue of ‘fatherlessness’ in Indonesia. Minister of Population and Family Development Wihaji emphasised the importance of the initiative for building emotional and psychological bonds. Additionally, Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Rini Widyantini issued a circular allowing civil servants (ASN) flexible working hours to accompany their children.
The new school year also saw the start of the orientation period (MPLS) at Sekolah Rakyat, a new government programme. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf announced that cadets from the Military Academy and Police Academy would assist in the five-day orientation at these boarding schools to instil discipline, guiding students from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep.