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Empowering change: Teachers and Prabowo’ nutritional reforms
Regardless of economic status, many families often opt for unhealthy food choices, unaware of their harmful effects, and poor food handling practices are common, leading to foodborne illnesses among schoolchildren.
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Free lunch: Students of SMP 1 state junior high school in Darul Imarah, Aceh Besar regency, Aceh, line up on March 5, 2024 for a free lunch as part of a pilot school nutrition program. Each student received a nutritious meal that cost Rp 15,000 (less than US$1) to produce. (Antara/Ampelsa)
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fter a lengthy electoral process and an indisputable constitutional decision, Indonesia will be led by Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka. As Indonesia embarks on a new educational journey under this new leadership, the spotlight intensifies on transformative reforms coinciding with National Education Day today.
The reforms extend beyond curriculum enhancement to critically encompass advancing students’ health through improved nutrition.
A wealth of research demonstrates the significant influence of nutrition on academic performance. Studies from diverse settings, including various regions of Ethiopia and broader international contexts, have consistently shown that improved nutrition correlates with enhanced cognitive functions and educational achievements.
These results underscore the vital need to embed nutritional programs within education policies, highlighting that proper nutrition during childhood is crucial for both physical well-being and intellectual growth.
The Prabowo-Gibran administration aims to boost educational standards by enhancing nutritional programs. These plans include providing free lunches and milk to 44 million schoolchildren and extending nutritional support to approximately 30 million toddlers, 5 million religious school students and 3 million expectant mothers.
If each free meal costs Rp 15,000 (around US$1), this would require a substantial budget of about Rp1.2 trillion per day, totaling approximately Rp 300 trillion annually. Such widespread nutritional support is envisioned to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive academically, impacting both numeracy and literacy skills.
The broad scope of this nutritional program, however, raises questions about its feasibility and sustainability.
