Indonesia expands free school meals program to teachers, defends budget impact

The municipal government of Serang, Banten, has broadened the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) free nutritious meals programme beyond students to include 1,656 teachers and 6,490 santri from local pesantren. As of May 2026 the programme reaches 231,860 beneficiaries out of a target of 239,354, covering pre‑school, primary, secondary and vocational pupils as well as religious schools, with 95 public kitchens ensuring flexible distribution.

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa affirmed that the MBG programme, together with the Village/Urban Cooperative (Kopdes) initiative, does not pressure the state budget. He said the scheme is designed to be adjustable, allowing the government to keep the fiscal deficit below 3 % even if economic conditions change, and that rating agencies have not flagged the programmes as a fiscal risk.