SMPN 3 Jetis Bantul Halts Free Nutritious Meals After Dozens of Students and Teachers Experience Poisoning Symptoms
SMPN 3 Jetis in Bantul has announced that it will no longer accept deliveries of free nutritious meals (MBG) after dozens of students and teachers experienced symptoms of poisoning. At present, the majority of students have returned to school and resumed learning activities.
“Since yesterday, we have stopped. The incident occurred on Monday (14/4/2026), and on Tuesday we halted it because by Monday morning around 8 a.m., the atmosphere was no longer conducive. Many children were asking to go to the toilet,” said the principal of SMPN 3 Jetis, Widodo, to reporters in Jetis, Bantul, on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
Widodo stated that the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) has halted MBG distribution starting today.
“If the SPPG does not carry out MBG distribution from Wednesday (15/6/2026) until a time that has not yet been determined by the SPPG side,” he said.
Regarding the condition of the students, Widodo said that the majority have joined learning activities. He mentioned that the total number of students experiencing poisoning symptoms reached 75 people.
“Those who went to the community health centre yesterday are still permitted to stay home to recover their stamina and mental state. For those who did not go to the health centre, we encourage them to attend learning activities,” he said.
Widodo explained that some teachers also experienced poisoning symptoms, as they had consumed the MBG.
“For the teachers, around 30 were affected. But now they are all healthy and have resumed their duties,” he said.
Regarding the cause of the poisoning symptoms, Widodo suspects it came from one of the MBG menu items. However, to confirm this, Widodo said he is still awaiting the laboratory test results on the food samples.
“From the friends who distributed it directly to the children yesterday, it seems the chicken is suspected,” he said.
It was previously reported that several students at SMPN 3 Jetis Bantul experienced poisoning symptoms after consuming MBG. The students subsequently received treatment.
The Head of Disease Prevention at the Bantul Health Office, Samsu Aryanto, previously stated that the students consumed MBG on Monday (13/4). The MBG menu included rice, grilled chicken, mustard greens, fried tofu, and watermelon.
“Then this morning, several students felt symptoms of nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, and dizziness,” he told reporters on Tuesday (14/4/2026).
Upon learning of this, teachers immediately took the students experiencing poisoning symptoms to Puskesmas 2 Jetis.
The number of students experiencing poisoning symptoms continued to increase.
“Based on reports from Puskesmas Jetis 2, there are 71 students suspected of experiencing MBG poisoning,” he said.
The Assistant for Government and Public Welfare at the Bantul Regency Secretariat, Hermawan Setiaji, explained that the number of students suspected of poisoning reached around 80 students and teachers affected by MBG. 77 students were from SMPN Jetis, then there were two teachers and one student from a private junior high school in Jetis.
“The latest data indicates there are 80 people suspected of poisoning (from MBG). But they are all now in stable condition,” he clarified.
Hermawan stated that the SPPG supplying schools in Jetis was still operating after the suspected poisoning incident. He requested that the SPPG be temporarily stopped.
“From the Regency Task Force, we hope to close it temporarily until the cause is known. But earlier, the SPPG from the regional coordinator has reported to the centre, and we are just waiting for the decision from the centre, because the authority lies with the centre,” he said when contacted by reporters on Tuesday (14/4/2026).
Regarding the cause of dozens of people experiencing food poisoning symptoms, Hermawan admitted he could not yet reveal it. Determining the cause requires laboratory tests on food samples.
“The Health Office (Bantul) has already taken food samples and they are currently being tested in the laboratory,” he said.