Indon Students traumatised by Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program

THANKS MF: 👍👍👍

Google

AI Overview

The Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program—Indonesia's multibillion-dollar flagship free school meals initiative spearheaded by President Prabowo Subianto—has faced massive setbacks due to recurring waves of large-scale food poisoning. The widespread outbreaks have left thousands of children hospitalized and deeply traumatized, leading many students to outright refuse the meals out of fear. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Scale of the Crisis

The initiative was launched to combat malnutrition and stunting across the archipelago. However, systematic failures in food safety have triggered consecutive mass poisoning incidents: [1, 2]

September 2026 Outbreaks: In just a single three-day span, nearly 2,000 students and teachers fell violently ill across multiple provinces, including Central Java, East Java, West Sumatra, Aceh, and South Sulawesi. [1, 2]
The Largest Incidents: At State Senior High School 1 Lasem in Rembang, 752 students and 25 teachers suffered severe diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain from a single lunch delivery. In Sidoarjo, East Java, a suspected outbreak sickened 730 people at an Islamic boarding school. [1, 2]
Historical Data: These events follow a grim pattern from the previous year, where thousands of cases were tracked by public health think tanks and the government, culminating in thousands of children falling ill within the program's initial phases. [1, 2, 3]

Why are Students Traumatized?

The trauma stems not just from severe physical illness, but from highly public lapses in quality control. On social media, “complaints have flooded in about maggots in tempeh, shards of glass in rice, and food trays washed in dirty water,” according to reporting by The Guardian. Furthermore, instances of students breaking down in tears in hospital beds, explicitly stating they are terrified of being poisoned again, have gone viral. [1]

Public health experts and agencies point to several core culprits behind the contamination:

Logistical Delays: Kitchens are cooking the food far too early, resulting in long intervals before it is served to students, allowing bacteria to multiply. [1, 2]
Contamination: Widespread issues with microbiological and chemical contamination, poor raw material sourcing, and inadequate ingredient storage. [1]

The Government's Response

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and local health departments are scrambling to manage the fallout as furious parent groups demand accountability and protests erupt. BGN Head Dadan Hindayana acknowledged the steep challenge ahead, stating that one of the primary goals is “to restore trust and ensure that students are not traumatized, so that they are still willing to participate in this program.” -- [Kompas.id]. [1, 2, 3]

To counter the safety lapses, BGN has temporarily shuttered compromised kitchens, mandated smaller portion preparation sizes to preserve freshness, and deployed ministerial supervision teams to oversee food safety standards. Despite the public backlash and systemic trauma, the administration maintains that the program remains non-negotiable and will continue to scale up

***

Around 2,000 fall ill in Indonesia after eating free school meals

4 days ago
Florence Freeman

EPA


Around 2,000 students and teachers across Indonesia have fallen ill with food poisoning over the past three days linked to the government's free school meals programme.

In the latest case, 777 people became unwell after consuming the food at a high school in Rembang, Central Java, the institution's headteacher said.

The meals were provided through a multibillion-dollar scheme that is one of President Prabowo Subianto's signature policies, aiming to improve nutrition for Indonesia's schoolchildren.

But, as well as being the suspected source of a string of mass food poisonings, the programme has been dogged by allegations of corruption and criticism of its cost.

A total of 752 students and 25 teachers experienced symptoms of food poisoning after eating meals provided through the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) programme at the high school in Lasem on Wednesday lunchtime.

"They had diarrhoea and took turns using the toilet," headteacher Juhartutik told BBC News Indonesia. "There are 40 toilets in total, so they can't accommodate everyone."

The school has since sent nearly 1,200 pupils and 95 members of staff home, while several were taken to hospital.

Juhartutik said the government would cover any medical costs and that the local food distributor had come to the school to "take responsibility".


The suspected outbreak came after 730 people fell ill after consuming MBG meals at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Tuesday, a local health official said.

Reni said their child felt dizzy and nauseous before developing stomach problems after eating the meal.

Some of those affected required hospital treatment, with some students being transported in wheelchairs because they were too weak to stand.

Hundreds of others have been affected by suspected cases of food poisoning linked to the free school meals this week, including hundreds across several schools in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi.

Improper storage or poorly prepared food are often to blame for cases of food poisoning, in which the body rejects the contaminated food.

Parents and teachers have told reporters of slimy chicken, as well as food that appeared undercooked and had a fishy odour.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the suspected outbreaks, with food samples being tested for possible contamination.

The head of the food distribution unit in Lasem, Achmad Sholeh Syarifudin, apologised and took "full responsibility for the recovery of students and teachers".

He said the unit would conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its operation following the incident.

The head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency has said: "If it is identified that there was negligence and there are criminal elements, I apologise, we cannot help."

More on this topic

Over 1,000 children fall ill from free school lunches in Indonesia

Mass food poisonings cast shadow over Indonesia's free school meals

Indonesia's Prabowo fires head of free meals scheme plagued by poisonings