October 6, 2025
JAKARTA – Teachers have voiced concern over the government’s plan to have them oversee the free nutritious meal program, warning that, despite offered incentives, the added responsibility could distract from teaching and expose them to liability if food safety problems occur.
Through a circular issued on Sept. 29, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), which manages the program, now requires each participating school to appoint one to three teachers as persons-in-charge (PICs) for the flagship program of President Prabowo Subianto.
While principals make the appointments, the BGN has instructed that priority be given to non-permanent teachers, many of whom are notoriously underpaid.
Each PIC will receive an incentive of Rp 100,000 (US$6) per day, which will be funded by the operational budget of the free-meal kitchen, also known as nutrition fulfillment service unit (SPPG), the school is partnered with.
BGN head Dadan Hindayana told The Jakarta Post that the teachers’ main responsibility would be to oversee the distribution of meals rather than ensuring their safety.
“We use rapid testing tools, so teachers are not required to taste the food. Even if they wish to test it themselves, simply observing or smelling the meals should be sufficient,” he said on Wednesday.
Read also: Government suspends operations of ‘problematic’ free meals kitchens
Meanwhile, BGN deputy head Nanik S. Deyang said the incentive was a “form of appreciation” for teachers’ added responsibilities.
“This incentive is not merely financial compensation, but also recognition of their dedication and contribution to the program’s success,” she said.
Shifting responsibilities
The inclusion of teachers as PICs comes amid growing calls to suspend the program over persistent food safety concerns, following a string of mass food poisoning incidents in recent weeks.
To this end, Iman Zanatul Haeri of the Indonesian Teachers Association (P2G) questioned the rationale, suggesting the government was shifting responsibility onto teachers.
He added that managing the free meals program would not only increase teachers’ already heavy workloads but also violate the 2005 Teachers and Lecturers Law, which limits their duties to lesson planning, delivery, evaluation and certain administrative roles such as deputy principal, laboratory head or curriculum coordinator.
Iman also criticized the Rp 100,000 daily incentive as a “paradox,” noting that over 500 non-permanent teachers have yet to receive the Rp 300,000 monthly allowance promised by President Prabowo in August.
“It is very odd that the Rp 300,000 monthly allowance for non-permanent teachers is so difficult to disburse, yet the Rp 100,000 daily incentive can be implemented in the blink of an eye,” he added.
Echoing Iman, Fahmi Hatib, chair of the Federation of Indonesian Teachers Associations (FSGI), urged the BGN to hire external staff with relevant qualifications instead of assigning this responsibility to teachers, as it could shift their focus toward the program for the additional incentives.
“Let teachers carry out their main duties as mandated by law; teaching in the classroom and guiding students,” he added.
Poisoning cases
In a meeting with lawmakers on Wednesday, BGN head Dadan revealed that since the program’s launch in January, at least 72 food poisoning cases had affected 6,457 recipients.
Two-thirds of these cases occurred in August to September alone, coinciding with a jump in the number of SPPG nationwide from 2,369 as of July to 9,760 by September.
Read also: TNI begins producing multivitamins distributed through free meals program
Dadan attributed the spike to SPPG failing to follow BGN’s standard operating procedures (SOPs), citing violations such as purchasing ingredients up to two weeks in advance instead of within the two-day limit, and delivering meals more than 12 hours after cooking, exceeding the six-hour maximum.
“We have shut down SPPG that have failed to comply with SOPs and caused public disquiet. Closures will remain until investigations conclude and kitchens make the necessary corrections,” he added.
On Thursday, Dadan reinforced the move during a press briefing, announcing the shutdown of “problematic” SPPG and pledging tighter oversight in coordination with the Health Ministry and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).