December 18, 2025 | 05:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has decided to continue distributing nutritious meals under the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program during the end-of-semester school holiday.
Deputy Head of BGN Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said nutrition service units (SPPG), also known as MBG kitchens, will remain operational throughout the break.
“If schools choose not to receive the meals, we will not force them,” Nanik said when contacted on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
According to Nanik, BGN allows schools, on behalf of students, to decide how the meals will be distributed during the holiday period. Schools can choose between two distribution mechanisms.
Under the first option, meals are distributed in packaged form. Students receive allowances for six days, delivered twice a week. The packages include a mix of ready-to-eat meals and shelf-stable items such as bread, eggs, milk, and fruit.
The second option allows students to receive freshly prepared meals every day. However, students must come to school daily to collect their MBG packages.
“If schools prefer daily distribution, we will provide it daily. If they choose twice a week, then we will follow that option,” Nanik said.
She stressed that President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship nutrition program does not pause during holidays. Even if no students come to school, SPPG kitchens will continue operating to serve other beneficiaries, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.
“There is no holiday for this program,” she said.
The end-of-odd-semester holiday is scheduled to begin next week. Based on Circular Letter No. 14 of 2025 issued by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 school holiday will last for two weeks, ending on January 4, 2026.
Separately, BGN Head Dadan Hindayana outlined an additional option. He said that if most students at a school are unwilling to attend during the holiday period, MBG packages may be distributed in advance, before the break begins.
“If the majority are not willing to come to school, the meals will be distributed at the start of the holiday,” Dadan said on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
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