Minister of Basic and Secondary Education says IFP and MBG programmes in Batam are running well

Batam (ANTARA) - Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti has assessed that the use of Interactive Digital Boards (IFP) and Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) in several schools in Batam, Riau Islands, is running well and positively impacting students’ learning enthusiasm. “We reviewed schools receiving IFP and the implementation of MBG. Alhamdulillah, from the schools I visited, MBG is running very well. At the kindergartens and primary schools we visited, we saw how the children were so happy,” he said in Batam on Tuesday. During the visit, Abdul Mu’ti inspected TK Pembina III Bengkong and SD Negeri 001 Sei Beduk. According to him, the MBG programme not only helps meet students’ nutritional needs but also significantly influences their physical fitness and learning motivation. “We see, alhamdulillah, that this programme has a significant impact on their physical fitness and learning spirit,” he said. Besides MBG, Abdul Mu’ti also highlighted the utilisation of IFP in the teaching and learning process at schools. “IFP is used well during mathematics lessons, and we saw the children enthusiastic with high learning spirit. Hopefully, there will be increasingly better learning outcomes,” he stated. He explained that the government currently targets one IFP device per school. “Currently, one device per school, and insya Allah, in the process of addition so that this year it can be increased to two to three IFPs for each school,” he said. Abdul Mu’ti mentioned that his side is currently budgeting for 800,000 interactive digital boards to support learning transformation in Indonesia. “Hopefully, learning can continue to run well, but besides that, we also want the education ecosystem to be strengthened with various safe and comfortable school cultures,” he added. Regarding his brief visit to Batam, just a return trip today, Abdul Mu’ti said it was due to time constraints. However, in the future, he plans to visit more 3T areas that are priorities for education revitalisation in 2026. “I have been to Natuna and Pulau Penyengat, but not yet to the remote islands. Later I will go there because that is the focus of Mr Prabowo’s education programme for 3T areas,” he said.