Over 1,000 school children got sick due to free school meals this week in Indonesia, and it is the newest mass food poisoning attributed to President Prabowo Subianto’s costly nutrition program. According to Yuyun Sarihotima, chief of West Java’s Cipongkor Community Health Center, a total of 1,258 victims of poisoning were reported on Monday and Wednesday. Recent news, this comes after the poisoning of 800 students last week in West Java and Central Sulawesi provinces.
President Prabowo has turned the nutritious meals program into one of the cornerstones of his rule, with a goal to provide free lunch to 80 million school students nationwide. But constant mass food poisoning cases have prompted non-government organizations to urge the authorities to halt the program in light of health issues. On Wednesday, Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar stated there will be no intention to end the program despite the ongoing issues.
Children Experience Stomach Discomfort and Respiratory Issues
Victims of the recent poisoning episodes reported stomach discomfort, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath, which are not common food poisoning symptoms. Victims this week consumed meals that consisted of soy sauce chicken, fried tofu, vegetables, and fruit. Previous poisoning cases have been attributed to spoiled sauce and, in one instance, the serving of fried shark to school children. In other food poisoning cases involving the free lunch program, sloppy food preparation has been blamed as a possible cause.
Indonesia National Nutrition Agency head Dadan Hindayana explained on Wednesday that last week’s mass food poisoning in Cipongkor was caused by a technical mistake committed by the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit. Operations by the unit in Cipongkor have reportedly been suspended. West Bandung regent Jeje Ritchie Ismail issued a statement calling the Cipongkor mass poisoning “an extraordinary event so that handling can be faster and more
Comprehensive.”
The Program Has Cost $28 Billion Despite Safety Problems
The $28 billion program is now the world’s most costly of its type and a rising focus of food safety and vociferous anti-government protests. Since last January, there have been 4,711 reported cases of poisoning from free school lunches, the National Nutrition Agency said, with most cases on the island of Java. But the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network counted a higher number of 6,452 poisoning victims through September 21.
The program was a centerpiece of Prabowo’s presidential campaign last year and was pitched as a way to tackle stunting, a condition caused by malnutrition that affects one-fifth of children below age five in Indonesia. Since taking office last October, this program and other populist policies like new houses and free medical check-ups have earned him political points, with approval ratings at 80% after his first 100 days in power.
Experts Question Need and Worry About Corruption
While the program is well-intentioned, Maria Monica Wihardja, a visiting fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, previously told the BBC there has been no evidence of widespread urgency for free school meals in Indonesia. According to a national survey in 2024, less than 1% of Indonesian households went at least one day without any meals in the past year. Indonesia has allocated over $10 billion this year for the free school lunches, while India spends $1.5 billion every year to feed 120 million children in the world’s biggest such programme.
Indonesia’s audit board research analyst Muhammad Rafi Bakri cautioned that big social welfare programmes in Indonesia in the past have been plagued by corruption. With the sheer magnitude of the budget, he added, this scheme is a goldmine for crooked officials. Others have demanded reforms to the scheme, such as a suggestion that parents are given money directly to make meals for their children instead, but the National Nutrition Agency has already rejected this proposal.
FAQs
1. How many children fell ill due to school lunches this week?
Over 1,000 kids got sick, and 1,258 poisoning cases were reported between Monday and Wednesday.
2. How much does the free lunch program cost in Indonesia?
The program costs $28 billion, the largest in the world in terms of cost.
3. Since when have so many kids been getting poisoned?
Between 4,711 and 6,452 kids have been poisoned by food since January, depending on the agency’s tally.
4. Will the government terminate the program?
No, they said, there are no plans to terminate the program despite the continuing health issues.
Stay updated with the latest news, innovations, and economic insights at Inspirepreneur Magazine.
