Free-meal buffet trial leaves safety risks unresolved
A buffet-style system currently being tested under President Prabowo Subianto’s free meals program does not eliminate the risk of food contamination, as meals are still prepared at kitchens outside school complexes and must be transported to schools.
A buffet-style meal distribution system, being piloted in Indonesia under President Prabowo Subianto's free nutritious meal program, raises concerns over food safety and program management. Meals are prepared at external kitchens and transported to schools, increasing the possibility of contamination. While the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) claims the system draws inspiration from Japan's school lunch practices, critics argue that it may not fully address these issues.
The BGN system involves students in serving meals, potentially disrupting their learning and break times. In contrast, Japan's national lunch program incorporates meal distribution as an educational activity, teaching children about nutrition, food culture, and table manners. Students in Japan take turns serving and distributing meals as part of established routines, with nutritional guidance and food-safety practices in place.
The Indonesian system, however, prepares meals in external kitchens, unlike Japan's in-site school kitchen approach. Education observers argue that the manual meal distribution by Indonesian students could take longer than necessary, further impacting their learning schedules.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
