DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Indonesian officials explain teacher involvement in free meal program

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Indonesian teachers are tasting the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program not just for safety checks but also as an educational tool for students.
  • The tasting process involves multiple layers of quality control before meals are distributed.
  • This initiative aims to improve nutrition and instill character education in Indonesian students.

Teachers in Indonesia are participating in the tasting of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, a move explained by the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sudaryono, as a dual-purpose initiative. Beyond ensuring the safety and quality of the meals, this involvement serves as a vital educational component for students.

Sudaryono, also known as Mas Dar, clarified that teachers tasting the food is not an added burden but part of a broader character education effort. The tasting process itself is rigorous, involving nutrition supervisors and field assistants before the meals reach students. "It's not just the teachers tasting; the food (MBG) that is already cooked is tasted starting from the nutrition supervisor tasting, the field assistant tasting. The school PIC (person in charge) also receives an incentive to taste, only then are the portions distributed to all students, including teachers getting food, the purpose is education. Washing hands, praying, queuing, so there is character education," he explained.

It's not just the teachers tasting; the food (MBG) that is already cooked is tasted starting from the nutrition supervisor tasting, the field assistant tasting. The school PIC (person in charge) also receives an incentive to taste, only then are the portions distributed to all students, including teachers getting food, the purpose is education. Washing hands, praying, queuing, so there is character education.

— SudaryonoExplaining the multi-step tasting process and its educational goals.

The MBG program aims to enhance the nutritional quality for students while simultaneously fostering essential character development. Sudaryono emphasized that this approach contributes to building higher-quality human resources for Indonesia. "So, teachers can explain the benefits of protein, carbohydrates, why there are vegetables, and so on," he stated.

This integrated approach ensures that the provision of nutritious meals is linked to broader educational goals, reinforcing good eating habits and life skills. The involvement of teachers in the tasting process underscores a commitment to a holistic educational experience, where nutrition and character building go hand in hand.

So, teachers can explain the benefits of protein, carbohydrates, why there are vegetables, and so on.

— SudaryonoHighlighting the educational role teachers play in explaining the nutritional content of the meals.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog