Students in Eastern Indonesia Receive Free Nutritious Meals 6 Days a Week

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Students in Frontier, Outermost, and Disadvantaged (3T) regions will continue to receive Free Nutritious Meals every Saturday. According to a written press release from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), this policy aims to ensure that children in stunting-prone areas continue to receive adequate nutrition.

This measure was taken to support the health of students living in regions with high rates of stunting. Generally, the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program follows the five-day school week schedule.

“Providing MBG on Saturdays for areas with high stunting risk is a strategic step to ensure children receive adequate nutrition every day,” Head of the Agency, Dadan Hindayana stated in Jakarta on Saturday, March 28, 2026.

The government has now begun conducting a thorough data collection effort to determine which areas will receive this special schedule. Eastern Indonesia, Sumatra, and Papua are the primary focus of this data mapping.

“Our team will collaborate with local Education and Health Offices to ensure accurate data, so that the MBG reaches the intended recipients,” Dadan said.

This data collection process involves verifying the number of students and the health conditions of the community in each village. This is crucial to ensure that food aid does not miss its mark and truly reaches the children in need.

Data accuracy is considered the key to the success of health programs for Indonesia’s youth. Without accurate data, children in remote areas risk losing their right to nutritious food.

“Data integrity is crucial, because this program concerns the health and future of our youth. We don’t want any child to be left behind in terms of nutritional needs,” Dadan affirmed.

Through this program, it is hoped that the physical growth and cognitive development of children in remote areas will improve significantly. The government is fully committed to reducing stunting rates for a stronger future for the nation.