Indonesia Allows Islamic Boarding Schools to Run Free Meal Kitchens

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has opened the way for Islamic boarding schools to manage their own kitchens under the national Free Nutritious Meals program. The policy is designed to accelerate food distribution and expand access for students in religious education institutions.

Vice Minister of Religious Affairs, Muhammad Syafii, said boarding schools with more than 1,000 students may establish their own Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units, known as SPPG, by applying through their foundations to the National Nutrition Agency.

“We have agreed that to accelerate the delivery of the Free Nutritious Meals program in Islamic boarding schools, institutions with more than one thousand students can directly build their own SPPG,” Syafii said after a coordination meeting in Jakarta on Monday May 11,2026.

He explained that one kitchen facility can serve up to 3,000 beneficiaries. Smaller boarding schools with fewer students may join nearby schools or other pesantren under a shared service model.

The ministry also said schools that already have kitchens will not need to rebuild from scratch. Existing facilities only need upgrades to meet hygiene, sanitation, wastewater treatment, and nutrition standards set by the National Nutrition Agency.

“So they only need updates in hygiene, wastewater systems, balanced protein, nutrition, and similar requirements. It is designed to be adaptive,” Syafii said. Financing support for construction or renovation has also been discussed with state-owned banks.

The meal program will also be adjusted to fit boarding school culture. Buffet-style serving may continue, lunch schedules can be shifted for students observing voluntary fasting on Monday and Thursday, while food safety standards must still be maintained.

Syafii added that the kitchen program is expected to create jobs for surrounding communities. “Those who were previously only beneficiaries can transform into kitchen managers and volunteers. One worker could earn around two million rupiah,” he said.