Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
National Nutrition Agency (
BGN
) emphasizes the Free Nutritious Meals program (
MBG
) does not force students to come to school during the holiday period to collect food.
MBG distribution during school holidays is prioritized for the beneficiary groups of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers or group 3B.
Deputy Head of BGN for Public Communications and Investigation, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, said that the distribution of MBG for group 3B continues as usual through officers in the field.
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“Those who don’t have a holiday, or are still given MBG, are for 3B. Who is taking them? Yes, as usual, the officers have been walking,” said Nanik in an official statement in Yogyakarta, Tuesday (23/12).
BGN understands that improving children’s nutrition requires consistency, but also considers the school holiday situation.For this reason, the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) aka the MBG kitchen gives beneficiary schools the option to apply for MBG distribution during the holidays.
If requested, food will be delivered according to the school’s request in the form of dry food.
“So children are not forced to come to school. It’s okay if the MBG food is taken by their mother, father or sibling. If, for example, the school doesn’t want to accept it, or the parents don’t want to, then that’s okay, and they’re not forced. So no one is forcing children to take MBG off from school to take MBG. Please don’t twist it,” said Nanik.
He also corrected the assumption that the distribution of MBG during holidays was carried out to use up the budget.According to Nanik, significant savings actually occurred.
“On the contrary, we saved an extraordinary budget in 2025. Imagine, the 2025 MBG budget is IDR 71 trillion, the target is for 6 million beneficiaries consisting of school children and 3B, but it turns out we can benefit 50 million Indonesian children and the 3B group,” he said.
These savings, continued Nanik, occurred because many foundations and partners built MBG kitchens independently, so BGN did not need to build the entire kitchen.
The costs borne by BGN are focused on providing MBG amounting to IDR 15 thousand per portion, salaries for employees including SPPI, nutritionists and accountants at each SPPG, which number almost 100 thousand people throughout Indonesia, as well as operational costs.
“The data I have conveyed can be checked with the Ministry of Finance,” he said.
Nanik added that the government remains committed to ensuring that all Indonesian children have access to good nutrition.
“Pak (President) Prabowo’s message is that not a single Indonesian child, be it (school age children) who are on the streets if they have not yet gone to People’s School, children in Islamic boarding schools, whether registered with the Ministry of Religion or those who are not registered, must all be able to eat nutritious food for free,” he said.
Meanwhile, regarding the news of giving MBG to the elderly and people with disabilities, Nanik emphasized that this was not part of the BGN program.
“This program is still being discussed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, so it is not a BGN program,” he concluded.
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(del/pta)
