The National Nutrition Agency has removed 1,653 schools, mainly private and well-equipped institutions, from its free nutritious meals programme, redirecting aid towards districts with higher needs and stunting issues.
The National Nutrition Agency has removed 1,653 schools from the list of recipients of Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals programme, shifting the focus towards districts with greater nutritional need, including frontier, outermost and disadvantaged areas known as 3T, as well as places with high stunting rates. Sudaryono, the agency’s chief, said the change was meant to direct meals to communities where the intervention would have the greatest impact.
According to reports from SindoNews and Detik, most of the schools taken off the programme are private institutions with international-standard facilities or schools that are financially independent and do not rely on state operational assistance. The revised approach reflects an effort by the agency to prioritise children in poorer regions rather than continue supplying schools that are better able to provide meals themselves.
Sudaryono also said the agency has reviewed its school meal service units as part of a wider effort to balance reach with quality and safety. The move suggests the government is seeking to avoid expanding the programme too quickly at the expense of standards, while ensuring support is channelled towards areas with the highest levels of need.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
