Religious Affairs Ministry Inspector General: Free Nutritious Meal Programme a Key Pillar for Producing Bright Madrasah Students

The Inspector General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Khairunas, has affirmed that the Free Nutritious Meal Programme is a crucial government pillar for building a generation of madrasah students who are bright, healthy, and competitive. This was conveyed during his direct inspection of the programme’s implementation at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri 2 Palembang, South Sumatra, on Tuesday. According to Khairunas, the sustainability of the programme depends heavily on the full commitment of regional officials and the technical readiness and governance at the madrasah level, which serves as the front line for policy execution. To ensure the programme runs optimally, the Inspector General chose to go directly into the field, mingling among classroom desks to dialogue with students and gather honest testimonials regarding the service quality and the taste of the food served. Beyond monitoring nutritional fulfilment, he also used the occasion to objectively capture the quality of education services from the students’ perspective, including matters of learning comfort and the friendliness of teachers at the madrasah. During the visit, accompanied by the Head of the Ministry’s Regional Office for South Sumatra, Syafitri Irwan, the Inspector General expressed high appreciation to the school after receiving a briefing from Head of Madrasah Siti Ajnaimah regarding management readiness and the Standard Operating Procedures for food distribution. The mitigation system prepared by the madrasah, such as coordinating catering arrangements during school holidays and alternative schemes for extreme weather, was assessed by the Inspector General as a form of mature governance responsibility to ensure no state funds or calories are wasted.