Vice President Invites Parents and Islamic Boarding Schools to Participate in Free Nutritious Meal Programme

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming has stated that various parties can be involved in implementing the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, including parents, culinary vocational school (SMK) students, religious organisations, and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). Responding to journalists’ questions after visiting Wolomoni State Primary School in Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, on Thursday, the Vice President welcomed the idea of involving school canteens in the MBG programme. “Not just school canteens, perhaps we can involve pesantren, churches, culinary vocational schools, PKK women’s group members, and parents. Everyone can be involved,” Gibran said. According to Gibran, greater community involvement, including from parents, will improve the programme’s implementation in the future. This is partly because parents deal with children who have various eating patterns, including those who are picky eaters. “Input from parents is the best for improvements, especially for future menu enhancements,” he explained. Regarding the target recipient categories, Gibran stated that the provision of MBG for disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions is proving beneficial. “Going forward, we will continue to improve it so that it is better targeted and so that corrupt practices do not occur,” he clarified. Previously, the government stated its commitment to improving the governance of the MBG programme, including a moratorium on new Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), recalculating incentives, and focusing on the most needy recipient groups. The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) will also implement financial efficiencies as part of the MBG governance improvements, pending a comprehensive review to be conducted during the school holiday period.