By: Rendy Mahaputra
The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program deserves continued support from the entire community, as its benefits have been felt by millions of Indonesian children. The various evaluations conducted by the government should be seen as steps to improve the program to make it stronger, more transparent, and more targeted. Amidst the internal reform process at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the government has emphasized that its commitment to ensuring the public’s nutritional needs remains unchanged.
Presidential Chief of Staff, General TNI (ret.) Dudung Abdurachman, emphasized that the government will continue the Free Nutritious Meals Program despite the ongoing reform process within the BGN. According to him, the change in leadership and the ongoing legal process demonstrate the government’s responsibility in addressing various issues that have arisen during the program’s implementation. This step demonstrates the government’s openness to criticism and the courage to conduct evaluations to improve program governance.
Dudung Abdurachman believes that every issue should be used as a lesson to strengthen the system, not as a reason to stop a program that concerns the wider community. President Prabowo Subianto, he said, has issued firm instructions to ensure that the fulfillment of the nutritional needs of the community, particularly vulnerable groups, is not disrupted by various dynamics occurring at the implementation level.
As part of its oversight, the Presidential Staff Office conducted unannounced inspections of several Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units in various regions. The monitoring results showed that many service units have implemented operational standards effectively. Kitchen cleanliness, food quality, food safety, distribution accuracy, and service to beneficiaries were deemed to be in accordance with government regulations.
These good practices found in the field are considered examples for other regions implementing similar programs. By considering the conditions and needs of each region, the government hopes that good service standards can be applied evenly throughout Indonesia, so that the quality of program implementation continues to improve over time.
The government also continues to strengthen the monitoring system to ensure that the Free Nutritious Meal Program is implemented in a clean, transparent, and measurable manner. The public is given the opportunity to participate in monitoring, ensuring open accountability for program implementation. According to Dudung Abdurachman, the program’s success should not only be measured by the number of beneficiaries, but also by the quality of service, food safety, targeting accuracy, and the tangible impact felt by the community.
The government’s current priority is ensuring that the distribution of nutritious food reaches those most in need. School children, pregnant women, vulnerable groups, and communities in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost areas are the program’s primary targets. This approach demonstrates the government’s desire to ensure equitable access to good nutrition for all levels of society.
The Presidential Staff Office also continues to fulfill its role as program controller, inter-agency liaison, and overseer of governance improvements at the National Nutrition Agency. This step is crucial to ensure that the government’s priority programs continue to run according to their objectives and provide maximum benefits to the community. The current evaluation is expected to strengthen public trust in various strategic national programs funded by the state.
Over the past year, the government has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving public welfare through various social policies, including accelerating the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program. This program has reached millions of students across Indonesia and is a concrete step in preparing a healthy, intelligent, and productive generation. The success in expanding the reach of beneficiaries demonstrates the government’s commitment to developing the quality of human resources from an early age.
Support for the program’s sustainability also came from the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti. He stated that the majority of beneficiary students hoped the Free Nutritious Meal Program would continue. He believes the program is not only related to meeting nutritional needs but also part of strengthening character education through the 7 Habits of Great Indonesians program implemented by his ministry.
Abdul Mu’ti also revealed that several studies conducted by the University of Indonesia and several other institutions have demonstrated the positive impact of the Free Nutritious Meal Program. These studies noted an increase in learning motivation, school attendance, and academic achievement among students who received the program.
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These findings further strengthen the belief that good nutrition is closely linked to the quality of education. Children who receive nutritious food tend to be more focused in learning, have better concentration levels, and show more positive academic progress than before.
As of June 10, 2026, 80.7 percent of students in schools had benefited from the Free Nutritional Meal Program. The majority of beneficiaries also expressed a desire for the program to continue. This data indicates that the program has been well-received by the community and provides real benefits to students.
Ultimately, the Free Nutritional Meal Program is not just a food assistance program, but a long-term investment in the development of Indonesia’s human resources. With stronger oversight, continuously improved governance, and increasing community support, this program is expected to produce a healthier, smarter generation of Indonesians who are ready to face future challenges.
*) National Development Researcher