Indonesia will continue its nationwide free meals programme despite widespread criticism and reports of health issues linked to the initiative. President Joko Widodo confirmed the decision, stating that the government remains committed to addressing child malnutrition through school feeding efforts. The programme, launched in January of the previous year, aims to improve nutrition among students in underserved regions.
However, concerns have emerged following reports that at least 15,000 children across the country fell ill due to food poisoning since the programme began. Critics have raised alarms about food safety standards and distribution practices, leading to an intense public debate. Despite these challenges, the administration maintains that the benefits of providing nutritious meals to vulnerable children outweigh the risks, and it plans to strengthen oversight and monitoring to prevent future incidents.