Government Decides to Provide Free Nutritious Meals to Students and Santri Only on School Days

The government has decided to provide Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) only on days when pupils attend school. This means MBG will not be given on school holidays.

This was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, also known as Zulhas, following a limited coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs in Jakarta.

“In order to improve and enhance the effectiveness of implementation, previously (MBG was given for) 6 days, including holidays. However, that turned out to be less effective. Therefore, we have decided that MBG will be provided on school days, (when pupils) come for 5 days,” said Zulhas on Thursday, 2 April 2026.

“If it’s a Lebaran holiday, then (providing MBG) is also not effective. So, on holidays, there will be no more (distribution of MBG to pupils), only given on school days,” he added.

Based on the Guidelines for the Management of the MBG Programme During School Holidays, established through the Decision of the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Number 52.1 of 2025, the BGN ensures that the MBG distribution flow continues even when schools enter semester holidays.

The 3B group, consisting of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, will continue to receive MBG six days a week without being affected by the school holiday calendar. Meanwhile, students and santri will receive MBG packages according to the school holiday mechanism, at schools or pesantren that are willing to attend for distribution.

Zulhas added that the government is also paying more attention to MBG distribution in 3T areas (Left Behind, Outermost, Frontier), and regions with high child stunting rates. According to him, MBG distribution must adapt to local conditions, from the quality of food menus to the amount given to beneficiaries.

“But for 3T areas and those with very high stunting rates, there will certainly be special handling. Besides the 5 school days, if necessary, it can be added one more day, because (the stunting rate) is high, or they live in underdeveloped areas, poverty is also high, and so on. That is special treatment,” he said.

Zulhas stated that so far, the progress of MBG provision for toddlers, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers has not changed at all because it is deemed to be running well.