Indonesian Ministry Pushes for Faster Expansion of Nutritious Meal Program for Students

Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs is urging a swift acceleration of its Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, aiming to significantly expand its reach to students in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), madrasahs, and other religious educational institutions nationwide.

Minister of Religious Affairs Prof. KH Nasaruddin Umar highlighted the critical need for the program among pesantren students, noting that a mere one percent have benefited thus far. "Pesantren are arguably the most in need of a touch, but it turns out only one percent have been reached by this program," he stated during a press conference in Jakarta.

Nasaruddin expressed optimism that challenges could be overcome with support from relevant ministries and agencies, particularly with the new leadership at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) focusing on aligning beneficiary data. He emphasized that accurate data on the number of students and their geographical distribution is crucial for the program's success.

The ministry estimates there are over 6.2 million students in 42,000 pesantren across Indonesia. The Ministry of Religious Affairs plans to proactively facilitate cooperation between the BGN and the pesantren network to meet the nutritional needs of these students.

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Pesantren are arguably the most in need of a touch, but it turns out only one percent have been reached by this program.