As a sign of the government's commitment to ensuring President Prabowo Subianto's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program runs optimally and positively impacts the public, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming has consistently monitored its implementation in various regions.
On Tuesday morning (04/2/2025), VP Gibran conducted another inspection of the MBG Program at two locations, SMPN (Public Junior High School) 11 and SMAN (Public Senior High School) 4 Depok, in Jawa Barat.
Upon arrival at SMPN 11 Depok, VP Gibran immediately inspected several classes and observed firsthand students enjoying breakfast together. The meal served today consisted of streamed rice, chicken katsu, stir-fried mustard greens (caisin), an orange, and a small boxed milk, reflecting the balance of nutrients needed for the body.
After completing his inspection at SMPN 11 Depok, the VP then visited SMAN 4 Depok, which was situated in close proximity. At this school, he also observed students who consumed free nutritious meals: streamed rice, stir-fried green beans, teriyaki chicken, an orange, and a small boxed milk."
In addition to engaging with students, the VP also handed out packages of notebooks and oversaw the "Handsome Raid" initiative by Captain Barbershop, which was visiting both schools to provide free haircuts to several students whose hair was considered too long and unkempt.
It is understood that President Prabowo's priority program aims to improve the nutritional intake of students in order to cultivate a healthy, intelligent, and highly competitive young generation in Indonesia.
On this occasion, the VP reiterated that the MBG program is one of the strategic investments for the nation's advancement, particularly in efforts to reduce malnutrition rates and raise students' academic success. He expressed his hope that this program will soon be implemented across all regions of the country, ensuring that all members of the community feel its benefits.
Addressing the media, the VP said the MBG program at SMPN 11 and SMAN 4 Depok ran successfully. He commented that the students enjoyed the meals wholeheartedly.
"I saw that the students of SMA 4 Depok were quite enjoying today's menu," he said.
As for the menu served, the VP commented that it was quite good and had been under the direct supervision of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). However, he encouraged the media and the public to provide feedback regarding the meal menu in the MBG program.
"I am very pleased with how the program is going today, but let me know if you have any feedback after I leave. The BGN team was also on-site earlier," he said.
"Praise to God, this is a true blessing. We no longer need to buy rice, which has demonstrably improved the children's health. Our school clinic is now empty of sick students," he said.
Furthermore, Purnomo added that the waste from the MBG program also benefits the school. According to him, the school uses leftover food to feed livestock, such as ducks and catfish, owned by the schools, as well as for making compost.
"Among the 34 public schools in Depok, we are the only school that has received the MBG program due to our proximity to the kitchen. We hope other schools will soon have the same opportunity," he said.
Meanwhile, a student from SMAN 4 Depok, Hisyam Danis, said that the MBG program is very beneficial for students, especially in maintaining a healthy diet and saving pocket money.
"As for me, this program allows us to eat healthy food daily, providing us with fruits, milk, and vegetables," the 11th-grade student explained.
"It also helps us reduce our spending on snacks," he added. (BPMI of VP Secretariat/PR Bureau)_Ministry of State Secretariat