Government Still Drafting Scenario for School Canteen Involvement in Free Nutritious Meals Programme

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti has stated that the policy scenario for involving school canteens in the distribution of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme is still being drafted together with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). “So there is no decision yet regarding how canteens and other services will be involved. For MBG to run well, everything must undergo in-depth study,” Abdul Mu’ti said in Yogyakarta on Sunday (5/7). According to him, the ministerial-level meeting has decided that the beneficiaries of MBG will not be all students. In the future, MBG will only be given to those who need it. “What has been decided in the ministerial-level meeting is that MBG recipients will not be everyone, but only those who require it,” he said. However, he stated that the implementation mechanism for this policy is still being developed to ensure it can run optimally. “We are currently drafting the mechanism so that this policy can be implemented properly,” he added. Abdul Mu’ti explained that the MBG distribution policy falls under the authority of BGN. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, he clarified, only provides input regarding implementation so that the programme’s objectives, as intended by President Prabowo Subianto, can be achieved. “The spirit of MBG, according to the President, is to build a physically healthy generation that is free from stunting,” he said. He assessed that the distribution of MBG benefits would be more targeted if prioritised for students who genuinely need it. “So, indeed, it is more appropriate that those who are most entitled to receive it are the ones who are served,” he said. On various occasions, Abdul Mu’ti continued, the ministry has also emphasised that MBG is not limited to providing nutritious food but is also part of strengthening character education in schools. The programme, he added, is one of the seven habits of Great Indonesian Children, namely getting used to eating healthy and nutritious food. “We have issued various guidelines on how character education is integrated with MBG,” he said. He added that the ministry continues to coordinate with BGN and awaits further policies to be issued regarding the programme’s implementation. “The new policy will be prepared by BGN as the institution with the authority to organise MBG,” he said.