By: Juanda Syah)*
A comprehensive evaluation of the Free Nutritional Meals Program (MBG) is now entering a more strategic phase. The government is not simply identifying shortcomings but is immediately formulating solutions by strengthening governance as a key to improving service quality. This corrective measure demonstrates that the evaluation is not intended to terminate the program, but rather to strengthen the program to make it more credible, measurable, and sustainable.
The main impetus for strengthening governance came from the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, who stated that the MBG, as a national priority program, must maintain its quality. She believes that evaluation should not stop at the rhetorical level but should be realized through systemic improvements that touch the entire implementation chain. Therefore, the importance of issuing a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) as a legal umbrella that underpins the new MBG governance, from planning to oversight.
The regulation will detail the division of authority between the central government, regional governments, and implementing units. Puan Maharani believes that a clear coordination structure is essential for a comprehensive evaluation. With better governance, any obstacles in the field can be addressed quickly and measurably without causing confusion between agencies.
In addition to regulations, governance strengthening is also implemented through regulatory oversight of service providers. This mandates that all SPPGs must have a Hygiene Sanitation Certificate (SLHS) as a baseline measure of eligibility. Strengthening these operational standards is a crucial part of the evaluation to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Furthermore, Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, stated that the Presidential Regulation on MBG governance will be finalized soon. He believes that strengthening governance demonstrates the state’s responsibility to ensure the program runs safely, with high quality, and reaches its intended target. He emphasized that access to nutrition is a fundamental right of citizens, and therefore the state is obligated to ensure its quality implementation through a robust system.
The government has not stopped at formulating regulations but has also established a multi-layered oversight system. Evaluations are carried out through internal oversight by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), while external oversight is shared among the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), and the Ministry of Home Affairs. This oversight model ensures that the quality of MBG is maintained comprehensively from upstream to downstream, not just at the food distribution stage.
Selain penguatan sistem, peningkatan kapasitas sumber daya manusia juga menjadi perhatian utama. Pemerintah mendorong adanya pelatihan rutin bagi para pengelola SPPG, mulai dari manajemen keamanan pangan, tata cara pencatatan distribusi, hingga pemanfaatan teknologi pelaporan digital. Dengan SDM yang memahami standar pelaksanaan secara menyeluruh, tata kelola tidak hanya kuat secara dokumen, tetapi benar-benar terlaksana secara konsisten di lapangan.
Untuk memastikan semua lini pelaksanaan berada dalam standar yang sama, pemerintah menetapkan tiga sertifikasi wajib bagi setiap SPPG, yaitu SLHS, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), dan sertifikat halal. Ketiganya merupakan bagian dari tata kelola berbasis keamanan pangan modern yang biasa digunakan dalam industri skala besar. Dengan diterapkan pada MBG, maka layanan publik ini diposisikan setara dengan standar industri pangan profesional.
Transparansi informasi juga menjadi bagian dari evaluasi sistemik. Pemerintah menunjuk Kepala Badan Komunikasi Pemerintah Angga Raka Prabowo untuk menyampaikan perkembangan implementasi secara berkala kepada publik. Langkah ini merupakan bentuk penguatan tata kelola dalam aspek akuntabilitas, memastikan masyarakat mengetahui langkah-langkah perbaikan yang ditempuh pemerintah.
Dari seluruh upaya tersebut, terlihat jelas bahwa penguatan tata kelola bukan hanya respons sesaat, melainkan strategi jangka panjang. Evaluasi dilakukan bukan untuk mencari kambing hitam, tetapi untuk memperkuat sistem agar program tetap berjalan tanpa mengorbankan kualitas. Dengan demikian, MBG tidak lagi dipandang sebagai sekadar program bantuan pangan, melainkan sebagai model kebijakan sosial berbasis standar mutu.
Keputusan pemerintah memperlakukan evaluasi sebagai proses pembangunan sistem adalah sinyal bahwa negara semakin dewasa dalam mengelola kebijakan publik. Penguatan tata kelola membuktikan bahwa program yang baik tetap harus memiliki mekanisme koreksi agar mampu bertahan terhadap tantangan pelaksanaan di lapangan. Bila konsistensi ini terjaga, MBG berpotensi menjadi rujukan nasional bahkan internasional dalam penyediaan nutrisi publik berskala besar.
Pada akhirnya, evaluasi melalui penguatan tata kelola merupakan bentuk keseriusan pemerintah dalam menjadikan MBG bukan hanya tepat sasaran, tetapi juga aman, bermartabat, dan berkualitas. Dengan sinergi antara Puan Maharani di parlemen, Zulkifli Hasan di jajaran eksekutif, serta Angga Raka Prabowo dalam komunikasi publik, arah pembenahan sudah semakin jelas. MBG sedang bergerak dari sekadar program bantuan menuju sistem perlindungan gizi nasional yang kuat.
As a follow-up, the government has also begun collaborating with universities and professional associations to develop research-based evaluation guidelines. This collaboration ensures that MBG improvements rely not only on field experience but are also supported by objective scientific studies. This ensures that any improvement recommendations have a strong methodological basis and can be implemented sustainably.
Furthermore, community engagement is also a key component of the new MBG governance system. The government has opened an online reporting channel for parents, teachers, and program implementers to provide direct feedback. This participatory system makes evaluations more inclusive and responsive, while also strengthening community ownership of this national program.
)* The author is a Jakarta student living in Bandung
