19-5-2024 (JAKARTA) A pilot programme providing a daily free meal for children has demonstrated significant financial relief for families and noticeable improvements in child nutrition and student performance, including better attendance and focus.
This free school lunch initiative, aimed at children from impoverished or disadvantaged backgrounds, was introduced by President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Vice-President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, fulfilling a key campaign promise. Mr. Gibran is the eldest son of current President Joko Widodo.
As the programme gains momentum, it faces criticism regarding its cost and long-term sustainability.
The duo, who secured a landslide victory in the February 14 presidential election and will assume office in October, had committed to providing free lunches and milk to students, along with nutritional aid for toddlers and pregnant women, in an effort to reduce the country’s high stunting rate.
According to the United Nations, over 20% of Indonesian children under five years old suffered from stunted growth in 2022. Stunting, a condition characterised by insufficient height for a child’s age due to poor nutrition, can lead to long-term developmental issues.
Once fully implemented by 2029, the programme is expected to benefit 83.9 million people across Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation with nearly 280 million inhabitants. The annual cost is projected to exceed 400 trillion rupiah (S$33.7 billion), roughly 2% of the country’s GDP.
Despite the hefty price tag, the initial trial, launched in January at 16 schools in Sukabumi, West Java, has been warmly welcomed by approximately 3,500 students, their parents, and school staff, who have observed positive changes.
For Rofiati, a 46-year-old housewife from Sukabumi, the programme has provided significant financial relief. Her husband, a teacher at a local Islamic boarding school, earns an average of 2.5 million rupiah (S$210) per month. The free school meals have helped the family save around 420,000 rupiah (S$35) monthly, which can now be allocated to other household needs.
Previously, her children often skipped breakfast and only ate lunch after returning home from school, usually consisting of instant noodles or simple dishes of vegetables, eggs, tempeh, or salted fish. “I am not worried anymore because I know they will eat at school. They have more appetite as they eat together with their friends,” Rofiati told The Straits Times, noting her children’s improved appetites and the variety of meals provided. Her 11-year-old daughter has gained 4kg since the programme’s inception.
Students receive a lunch package worth 15,000 rupiah daily, including rice, meat (such as chicken, fish, or beef), vegetables, fruit, and milk. At home, the family typically consumes meat only once a week.
Beyond financial savings, parents have noticed other benefits. Depi Ratna Juwarti, whose two children benefit from the free lunches, observed, “They rarely get sick now. They are more motivated to study and spend more time studying at night.”
Her eldest daughter, 12-year-old Adifa Alifiya Mahrain, praised the programme: “The food is always delicious and the menu changes every day. I always eat everything. It’s a lot of fun to eat together with my friends,” said Adifa, who aspires to become a paediatrician.
Mr. Shalahudin Sanusi, principal of Gelarsari Islamic primary school in Sukabumi, reported improved concentration and comprehension among students. The initiative has also increased the attendance rate from 85% to 95%. “They eat modestly at home – mostly rice and salted fish. Rice and eggs are the best they can get,” “Now, they are so excited, some even arrive at school at 6 am, an hour before lessons start.”
The trial has since expanded to other regions, including Tangerang in Banten.
However, the programme has faced criticism from the World Bank, international rating agencies, and economists, who fear its substantial cost could exacerbate Indonesia’s budget deficit, currently capped at 3% of GDP, and negatively impact the economy.
Moody’s Investors Service senior credit officer Anushka Shah stated that Prabowo’s policies suggest a shift towards a more expansionary fiscal stance, potentially deviating from Indonesia’s history of conservative budget management and debt ratios.
Nonetheless, Prabowo remains optimistic about maintaining fiscal prudence while implementing the programme. “We have studied this. We are very confident we can do that,” he said at the Qatar Economic Forum on May 16. “It’s a matter of efficient, good governance, good administration, good management.”
Yusuf Rendy Manilet, a researcher at Jakarta-based think-tank Core Indonesia, suggested the incoming government might reallocate funds from other programmes to address budget constraints, which could impact the effectiveness of existing initiatives or delay new ones.
Economist Dradjad Wibowo, part of the Prabowo-Gibran campaign team, assured that the lunch initiative would not destabilise Indonesia’s fiscal health, as it would be phased in and adjusted to fit within the available budget. The programme will start in the least developed regions first.
In April, a team visited India to study its Mid-day Meal Scheme, which has served over 100 million schoolchildren since 1995 at a cost of 11 US cents per meal. The scheme has been lauded for alleviating hunger, reducing malnutrition, and encouraging school attendance, particularly among girls and disadvantaged children.
Despite the controversies, principal Shalahudin expressed gratitude for the free lunches, calling them a “gift from God.” Most of his students come from poor families, with parents earning less than one million rupiah (S$84) monthly. “We hope we will continue to have the meals at our school. It’s been a great help,” he added.
