Healthy School Canteen to Support Free Nutritious Meal Program in Jakarta

The Jakarta Government has declared its readiness to fully support the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. This support is manifested through the transformation of canteens into healthy school canteens as a complement to the MBG program.

This will also help the programs run by the Nutrition Agency

Jakarta Governor, Pramono Anung asserted, the Jakarta Government is aligned with the central government, to improve the nutritional quality of the community, especially school children.

"We (Head of Nutrition Agency and Jakarta Government) will transform the free nutritious breakfast into a broader ecosystem, namely healthy canteens towards a smart and sustainable Jakarta," he expressed, at Jakarta City Hall, Thursday (3/13).

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The transformation of this school canteen aimed to improve the quality and capacity of the canteen, thus it could become a good nutritional processing service unit. In line with Jakarta's vision as a global city, these cafeterias are expected to become learning centers for parents, a means of distributing nutrition, and a comfortable space for the entire school community. He emphasized, the Jakarta Government has various facilities for smoothening the MBG program.

"For the transformation of the canteens in schools, this will also help the programs run by the Nutrition Agency. Despite the Nutrition Agency has surely planned everything, this development will make things easier in the field, especially in schools," he explained.

The Jakarta Government support received appreciation from the National Nutrition Agency Head, Dadan Hindayana.

"One of the biggest challenges in the nutritious eating program is budget, human resources, and infrastructure. We have resolved the budget, and we're now training human resources. This infrastructure is the most crucial part to accelerate the dissemination of the nutritious eating program," he explained.

He furthered BGN aimed to establish 791 Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) in Jakarta. Thus far, only 33 SPPGs are operating, and this number will increase to 42 SPPGs shortly.

With the government's support, it would contribute to optimizing the implementation of the free nutritious meal program.

"Alhamdulillah (Thank God), earlier the Governor decided to renovate the school, which will be part of the nutritious meal program; it will later become a nutrition processing service unit to serve the school itself as well as the surrounding schools," he stated.