When Does the Free Nutritious Meal Program Start? Here’s How to Get It

Kapanlagi.com - On Monday, January 6, 2025, the government proudly launched the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG), a monumental step by President Prabowo Subianto to improve the nutritional welfare of the Indonesian people. The launch of this program begins with an initial phase targeting around 3 million beneficiaries, including school students, pregnant women, and toddlers.

However, that is just the beginning! In its ambitious plan, the number of beneficiaries will gradually increase to reach 15 million people by August 2025. The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, revealed that this program has undergone a series of trials before its official launch.

"If everything goes according to plan, we will launch this program on January 6, 2025," said Dadan, as quoted from Liputan6.com on Monday (1/6).

1. Mechanism for Distributing Free Nutritious Food

In an effort to meet the nutritional needs of the community, the government has launched an impressive program by operating 190 public kitchens or Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) spread across 26 provinces throughout Indonesia.

Each kitchen has an extraordinary capacity to serve between 3,000 to 3,500 portions of food every day. According to Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan from BGN, SPPG plays a crucial role in preparing and distributing food to schools and communities in need, from Aceh to Papua.

Each beneficiary will enjoy meals worth Rp10,000 per day, adjusted according to the school schedule for various educational levels, from early childhood education to high school.

2. Implementation Guidelines in Islamic Boarding Schools

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has just launched Circular Letter No. 10 of 2024, which serves as an important guideline for the implementation of Nutritious Food (MBG) in Islamic boarding schools. In this guideline, the emphasis on character education through healthy eating habits and discipline is the main focus.

The Director General of Islamic Education, Abu Rokhmad, explained that the goal of MBG in boarding schools is not only to improve the nutritional intake of students but also to instill spiritual values and a sense of responsibility.

To ensure everything runs smoothly, the schedule for food distribution in boarding schools is strictly regulated, from morning to afternoon, to align with the teaching and learning activities of the students.

3. Criticism and Challenges in the Implementation of the Program

Despite receiving a warm welcome from various circles, the launch of the Free Nutritious Food (MBG) program has faced sharp criticism. According to a report by BBC Indonesia, some observers believe this step is too rushed.

Wahyudi Askar, Director of Public Policy at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), expressed his concern about the first year's budget, which only amounts to Rp71 trillion to reach nearly 19.5 million people. He emphasized that this amount is very minimal compared to the real needs of the program.

At the launch event of the report titled "Free Nutritious Food: The Polemic of the MBG Distribution Scheme" on Monday (30/12/2024), Wahyudi also highlighted the challenge of the budget allocation, which is only Rp10,000 per portion of nutritious food, deemed insufficient to build a proper food supply ecosystem.

Additionally, there are concerns about the role of the military in providing public kitchens, with some parties doubting the readiness of soldiers to meet the nutritional needs of school children.

4. Stages of Program Expansion in the Future

The government is preparing an ambitious plan to expand the reach of assistance programs, with an impressive target: from January to March 2025, 3 million beneficiaries will be accommodated, followed by 6 million beneficiaries from April to June, and soaring to 15 million beneficiaries from July to August 2025.

This program, planned to last for the next five years, is supported by the state budget (APBN) as well as international collaboration, including significant investment support from China amounting to Rp157 trillion. With this initiative, it is hoped that more people will benefit from it!

5. Who is eligible to receive this free food?

This program serves as an educational bridge connecting various stages of life, from early childhood education (PAUD), kindergarten (TK), elementary school (SD), junior high school (SMP), to senior high school (SMA), and also pays special attention to pregnant women and toddlers.

6. How is the food distribution mechanism?

The public kitchens (SPPG) spread across 26 provinces are ready to serve delicious meals with an extraordinary capacity, capable of producing between 3,000 to 3,500 meals every day.

7. Will this program cover all regions of Indonesia?

Currently, this program is being implemented in areas that are already prepared, with the hope of reaching the entire archipelago within the next 3 to 5 years. The government aims to expand this coverage, ensuring that every corner of the country can benefit from it.

8. What is the budget allocated for this program?

The Indonesian government boldly allocated funds amounting to Rp71 trillion from the 2025 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN), while also expanding international cooperation networks to secure the additional funding support needed.

9. Is this program only for school students?

The Free Nutritious Food Program is not just an initiative, but a bold step by the government to touch the lives of pregnant women, toddlers, and specific communities such as pesantren.

With a grand ambition to improve the nutrition and well-being of the community, this program is expected to bring a breath of fresh air in addressing the issue of stunting while also enhancing the quality of education in Indonesia.

(kpl/srr)