MBG Does Not Bite into Education Budget; Government Explains Details
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government emphasises that the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG) does not reduce the education budget in response to public narratives that the programme drains substantial funds from the State Budget (APBN), including education and health.
Senior Expert Staff of the Government Public Communications Agency of the Republic of Indonesia Hariqo Wibawa Satria, in a podcast with ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday, explained that the education budget for 2026 amounts to Rp769.8 trillion, of which a budget allocation component of Rp223.5 billion is for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to manage the MBG Programme.
“Nutrition is the foundation of learning. So, MBG does not reduce education; rather it ensures that a large education budget is not wasted because students are ready to learn,” Hariqo said.
He emphasised that MBG is an inseparable part of the education system because nutrition is the foundation for students’ learning processes. In addition, other educational programmes do not see budget reductions; some have even increased, such as teacher allowances and educational assistance.
Not merely feeding, the MBG Programme is the foundation for human resource development towards Indonesia Emas 2045, given government data show that 96 per cent of Indonesians have historically low consumption of vegetables and fruit, 66 per cent of children have poor dietary patterns, and 65 per cent of children do not have breakfast before going to school.
“Moreover, 32 per cent of adolescent girls experience anaemia and 21 per cent of under-fives experience stunting,” he said.
Hariqo also added that through MBG, the government aims to build a new culture, namely healthy eating habits and nutrition awareness from school age.
“Indonesia Emas 2045 is simple: our children have high incomes, are healthy, have sharp minds, good character, and can compete with other nations. Through MBG, a culture of nutritious eating is built. If children previously did not want to eat vegetables and fruit, seeing their peers eat together will automatically foster nutritious eating habits,” Hariqo concluded.