MBG program unchanged despite remote learning rumors: BGN

Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has refuted claims that schoolchildren are required to return to in-person classes to receive meals under the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, even during periods of remote learning. The agency emphasized that the government has not yet made a decision regarding online learning policies.

Free Nutritious Meals Program Remains Tied to In-Person Classes

BGN Deputy Head Sonny Sanjaya dismissed the circulating information as false, stating that the government has not finalized any policy on online learning despite discussions related to fuel-saving measures. Currently, the MBG program continues to distribute meals to students only when classes are held in person.

Sanjaya urged the public to verify information, particularly content shared on social media, and to rely on official BGN communication channels for accurate updates regarding the MBG program.

“If there will be a new policy, including one dictating online learning, we will first study it and officially announce our move,” Sanjaya affirmed. The agency remains dedicated to maintaining quality, nutrition, and effective management within the MBG program to ensure equitable access for schoolchildren throughout Indonesia.

The clarification comes as discussions arise regarding potential government consideration of mandatory remote learning—similar to protocols used during the COVID-19 pandemic—as a means of conserving fuel amid concerns about potential shortages linked to the situation in the Middle East.

Legislator Esti Wijayanti, deputy chair of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR), has voiced opposition to the idea. In a statement on Monday, she urged the government to consider the challenges encountered during the pandemic when remote learning was implemented, warning that it “left significant problems for our education system.”

Wijayanti argued that remote learning can be counterproductive, hindering children’s learning capacity, discipline, and character development, as well as exposing limitations in technological access.