Viral Video of Students Discarding MBG Rice in Bondowoso, School Clarifies

A video showing several students discarding rice from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme has gone viral on social media and messaging applications. The head of MTs Negeri 4 Bondowoso, Qurniyatul Fathiyah, confirmed that the students in the video are from her school. However, she clarified that the rice being thrown away was not whole, untouched portions, but rather leftovers after the students had eaten. She explained that a delay in the MBG distribution was the reason the food was not fully consumed. According to her, the SPPG (Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit) stated that road access to the school was closed due to a visit by a vice minister in Lombuk Kulon. As a result of the delay, the students had already bought food at the school canteen. When the MBG packages finally arrived, they only ate part of the meal and discarded the rest. She emphasised that the MBG rice arrived at the school already late in the day.