Minister: Free Nutritious Meal Scheme via School Canteens Not Yet Finalised

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti has stated that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has yet to reach a final decision regarding the technical plan to utilise school canteens as alternative kitchens for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) project. Mu’ti admitted that, based on the results of his ministry’s latest meeting with the BGN, a number of operational policy scenarios are still being finalised to ensure the programme can run effectively and efficiently on the ground. “There is no decision yet on that matter (school canteens for MBG). The last meeting with BGN was still discussing policy scenarios so that the programme runs as well as possible,” said Mu’ti on the sidelines of the inauguration of Muhammadiyah Sapen Universal School (MSUS) in Yogyakarta on Sunday, 5 July 2026. According to Mu’ti, all implementation plans for the MBG, including the involvement of school canteens and other services, must undergo an in-depth assessment process before being officially implemented. He stated that one of the decisions successfully agreed upon in the ministerial-level coordination meeting concerned changes to the criteria for MBG recipients. The government, through the BGN, has determined that the free meal facility will no longer be distributed evenly to all students without exception. MBG recipients will only be prioritised for schoolchildren deemed to genuinely need nutritional assistance. “What has been decided in the meeting is regarding the recipients of the free nutritious meals. Not all children will receive them, only those who need them,” he said. However, the mechanism for changing the distribution target is still being discussed and formulated. Furthermore, Mu’ti stated that in implementing this programme, his ministry positions itself as the largest beneficiary. Therefore, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will only follow the technical directives and regulations issued by the National Nutrition Agency. This is because the BGN acts as the main driving centre for the entire implementation of the programme in Indonesia. Mu’ti said the input provided by his ministry to the BGN refers to the original spirit of the programme as conveyed by President Prabowo Subianto. “This MBG programme was originally intended by the President to build a physically healthy generation free from stunting, so it is prioritised for those most in need,” said Mu’ti. In addition to focusing on physical health and efforts to eradicate stunting, Mu’ti stated that schools have a very large strategic dimension for strengthening students’ moral aspects. He assessed that the main essence of providing free meals should no longer be viewed narrowly or merely as an eating activity. Instead, it needs to be directly integrated as part of strengthening character education in schools. He stated that consuming healthy and nutritious food is one of a total of seven healthy living habits to be instilled in the formal education environment. “So we certainly have to coordinate with the BGN on how the new policy will be implemented,” he said. Previously, Head of the National Nutrition Agency Nanik Sudaryati Deyang mentioned that the option of using school canteens as alternative kitchens for the MBG project was possible. Nanik said the MBG management agency is considering the scheme as an efficiency measure. “For example, in a remote place like West Lombok, I once visited an island with only 119 students. It is impossible to build a kitchen there, but there is a canteen. So that canteen can be used,” said Nanik in Jakarta on Monday, 8 June 2026. Besides utilising school canteens, the BGN is also considering cooperation through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes from state-owned and private enterprises. Nanik cited the example of a communal kitchen facility in a remote area built through a CSR programme by PT Pertamina (Persero). “For instance, there is a region like Raja Ampat with only 115 students, but there is a Pertamina CSR communal kitchen there. Well, we can use something like this too. So there are alternatives; we don’t have to build new kitchens in the 3T regions (disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost),” said Nanik.