President Prabowo Praises Free School Meal Programme as Leaders Propose Campus Kitchens

President Prabowo Subianto received a handwritten letter from students at SMK Negeri 1 Sorong in West Papua, expressing gratitude for recent government projects that included a new library, improved school toilets and the free nutritious meal programme (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG). The letter was delivered by Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti at the Merdeka Palace on 11 June 2026, where the president read the students’ thanks and highlighted the direct impact of the MBG initiative on education quality.

On the same day, Anshar Ilo, chair of the Logis 08 organization, suggested that most MBG kitchens be located and run within the schools they serve. He argued that school‑based kitchens would provide fresher meals, improve supervision, reduce transportation costs and better target the programme’s beneficiaries. The proposal was presented as a way to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the national free‑meal scheme for pupils.