JAKARTA – Good news for students and parents. The government, through the National Nutrition Agency, has confirmed that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program will continue to operate despite the upcoming 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year (Nataru) holiday period.
This policy was established to ensure that the nutritional needs of school children remain consistently met, uninterrupted by the academic calendar or long holiday breaks.
Pickup Mechanisms for Free Nutritious Meals at Schools
Although formal classroom activities are suspended, communal kitchens and service units at schools will remain operational. Students registered as beneficiaries are invited to come to school to collect their meal rations.
Key technical points regarding the MBG implementation during the year-end holidays include:
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Pickup Location: Distribution remains centered at respective schools or designated distribution points.
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Operational Schedule: Pickups will follow a schedule set by management to prevent crowding.
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Target Recipients: All students targeted by the program in both pilot and regular regions remain eligible.
Maintaining Nutritional Consistency for Indonesian Children
The government emphasized that nutritional intake “should not take a holiday.” This program is a long-term investment aimed at developing superior human resources and breaking the cycle of stunting in Indonesia.
“We want to ensure that children’s growth is not disrupted just because school is out. Daily nutrition must be maintained every day,” stated an official release regarding the policy (12/21/2025).
Support from Field Service Units
To ensure smooth distribution during the holidays, the National Nutrition Agency has coordinated with food providers and school authorities. Service units remain on standby, upholding hygiene standards and nutritional quality as strictly as they do during regular school days.
This initiative is also expected to ease the economic burden on families during the year-end season, a period when household expenses typically rise.