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View all search resultsFree-meal buffet trial leaves safety risks unresolved
A buffet-style system currently being tested under President Prabowo Subianto’s free meals program does not eliminate the risk of food contamination, as meals are still prepared at kitchens outside school complexes and must be transported to schools.
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Students collect buffer meals at state junior high school SMPN 2 Kandeman in Batang regency, Central Java, on Oct. 8, 2026. The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is testing a buffet-style meal service model to provide warmer and fresher meals, reduce the risk of food spoilage that could cause health problems and strengthen the educational experience for beneficiaries. (Antara/Harviyan Perdana Putra)
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buffet-style system currently being tested under President Prabowo Subianto’s free nutritious meal program may do little to address concerns over food safety and program management, while involving students in serving meals could disturb their learning and break time, critics say.
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) introduced the system earlier this week, saying it had drawn lessons from countries that have integrated school meals with education. BGN head Sudaryono said the method, being piloted in at least 60 free meals kitchens known as SPPG, was comparable to school lunch practices in Japan.
Under the system, the meals are delivered warm from kitchens to classrooms, where designated students help portion the food. Their classmates then line up with trays to collect their meals before eating at their desks.
Japan’s long established national lunch program, however, goes beyond meal distribution. It treats lunchtime as an educational activity that teaches children about nutrition, food culture and table manners.
Students take turns serving and distributing meals as part of established school routines, supported by nutritional guidance and food-safety practices. Meals are also prepared at in-site school kitchens, unlike Indonesia’s SPPG-based distribution system.
Read also: BGN tests buffet-style free school meals, citing Japan model
Education observer Ubaid Matraji of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) said the BGN approach could disrupt students’ lunch breaks and overall learning schedules, as having students distribute meals manually could take longer than necessary.
