Why Indonesia Halts Free Meal Distribution to 80 Elite Private Schools
BGN has removed 80 elite private schools from the list of recipients of the free nutritious meal (MBG) program.
The National Nutrition Agency of Indonesia has eliminated 80 elite private schools from the list receiving free nutritious meals (MBG). This decision is part of the agency's review process to reassess eligible beneficiaries across different regions. According to Sudaryono, the BGN head, these schools will no longer receive the state-funded meals, as they are capable of providing their own nutritious meals to students.
The list of MBG recipients can be checked via the MBG Radar by entering the school name. The BGN evaluation also identified duplicate beneficiary entries, with about 6 million overlaps, such as students registered in both an Islamic boarding school and a public school. Additionally, the agency discovered 414 kitchens not yet operational and receiving funds, which have been withdrawn and returned to the state treasury.
These revisions were made as part of the MBG budget absorption evaluation. The government initially allocated Rp240 trillion for the 2027 MBG budget, and the budget reduction is attributed to the removal of elite private schools, corrected student data, and a more streamlined fund distribution to kitchens. The BGN is still reviewing the MBG data and budget distribution to ensure funds are utilized as intended.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
