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Pramono drops planned free school breakfasts
New Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has dropped his plan to provide free school breakfasts across the capital city following a meeting with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), which is in charge of the ongoing nationwide free nutritious meals program.
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Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung (left) and Deputy Governor Rano Karno (right) prepare to take part in a parade on Feb. 20, 2025, at the Monas Cross Square in Jakarta. (Antara Foto/Bayu Pratama S)
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ew Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has dropped his plan to provide free school breakfasts across the capital city following a meeting with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) which has instructed regional administrations against running a program too similar to the central government’s nationwide free nutritious meal program.
Pramono will now switch the planned allocation of the city budget for the free breakfast program to finance the renovation of school canteens as well as the expansion of non-cash financial support programs for students from low-income families.
“The planned school breakfast program will now be altered into a [new] program to renovate school canteens instead – as a way to support the [existing free meals program] the BGN is running,” Pramono said following his meeting with BGN head Dadan Hindayana on Wednesday at the city hall.
“We [the Jakarta administration] believe that school canteens can also play a part in the long-term strategy to create an ecosystem that supports healthy lifestyles at schools,” Pramono said, as quoted from a press release from his office.
Dadan said Jakarta ideally needs nearly 800 kitchens for President Prabowo Subianto’s ambitious nationwide free meals program – either run by third-party catering services or authorities. But so far, there are only 33 kitchens in Jakarta and the BGN is preparing to add nine more this month.
“One of the main problems in running the [free meal] program is infrastructure. But fortunately the governor will renovate school canteens, with a possibility of those becoming kitchens for the free meals program,” Dadan said, as quoted from the press release.
Read also: Pramono seeks to discuss Jakarta’s free school breakfasts with central govt
