Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Prabowo Subianto's recent shake-up of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) leadership marks a fresh chapter for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.As one of the president's flagship initiatives, the program was designed not only to develop Indonesia's human capital but also to serve as a powerful catalyst for local economies.The overhaul clears the deck entirely, replacing the agency's head along with both deputy heads.Nanik Sudaryati Deyang takes the helm from the previous head, Dadan Hindayana. Meanwhile, Agustina Arumsari and Major General Trenggono replaced Lodewyk Pusung and Sony Sanjaya as deputy heads.This move follows a year-and-a-half-long evaluation of the flagship meal program.From the outset, the MBG program was never a small-scale initiative. Its targets span school-aged children, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.Given the vast scope of beneficiaries, the program's success hinges heavily on organizational capability to maintain operational standards, quality control, distribution governance, and cross-regional coordination.Government evaluations revealed several issues that prompted the leadership shake-up at the BGN. These concerns centered on compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), organizational governance, and consistency in maintaining food quality according to established standards.Quality remains the most crucial aspect of the MBG program. The performance of this high-budget initiative is measured not merely by the volume of food distributed, but by the very substance of the program itself: food safety, nutritional content, hygienic production processes, and timely distribution.A failure in any of these could directly impact beneficiary health and erode public trust in the program.To uphold the quality aspect, the government has taken firm action by suspending thousands of Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs) which function as kitchens that provide meals for the program.Based on BGN data as of May 29, 2026, a total of 8,182 SPPGs have been suspended since the MBG program launched in January 2025. Of that number, 5,659 units have resumed operations after meeting standard requirements, while another 2,213 units remain suspended for failing to resolve technical or managerial deficiencies.These figures reveal two things simultaneously. First, the scale of government oversight regarding the program's implementation is quite extensive. Second, significant challenges remain in the standardization process for MBG kitchens across various regions.The majority of these suspensions were triggered not just by administrative violations, but by issues directly impacting food safety and service quality. A number of SPPGs were found to lack Hygiene and Sanitation Certificates (SLHS), standard-compliant Wastewater Treatment Plants (IPAL), or other mandated basic infrastructure.Furthermore, there were several cases that have drawn intense public scrutiny, particularly regarding food safety issues arising from poor food management. In several instances, the distributed meals had passed their safe consumption window, triggering health complaints among beneficiaries.From the management front, the suspensions demonstrated the government's firmness against standard violations.This step is vital as MBG relies heavily on quality control. If meal standards vary from region to region, the program will struggle to meet its objective of enhancing people's nutritional status.Following the leadership overhaul, BGN's next challenge is transforming the program into a more stable and uniform public service nationwide. Best practicesThe experiences of other countries that have implemented similar programs to MBG demonstrate that the success of school meal initiatives hinges on the ability to build a consistently functioning system.Japan is frequently cited as the gold standard for school nutrition programs. Its school lunch program, known as Kyushoku, has evolved since the late 19th century and is now fully integrated into the national education system.Kyushoku is far more than a mere mass food distribution; it is an integral part of the learning process.There are no dedicated staff members tasked with serving meals in Japanese schools. Instead, students fetch the food from the kitchen themselves, serve it to their classmates, and take turns cleaning up the classroom afterward. This approach instills a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and respect for food.All of these are integrated with the shokuiku concept, which is aimed at building a deep understanding of nutrition, food sourcing, and healthy eating habits.South Korea adopted a different approach through its Universal Free Eco-Friendly School Lunch Program, which primarily focuses on ensuring that all students enjoy equal access to meals, regardless of their family's economic background.This universal approach was designed to eliminate the social stigma that can arise when food assistance is targeted only at specific groups. At the same time, the South Korean government integrated the school lunch program with local food supply chains.The process of sourcing raw ingredients heavily involves local farmers through an e-commerce trading system that enables more efficient, fresh, and controlled food distribution.Under this model, the school lunch program expands its role from a nutritional intervention into a vital driver for the economy of local farmers.Meanwhile, Finland and Sweden have introduced free school meal initiatives since the 1940s. These programs are fully state-funded and integrated permanently into public education services.A key characteristic of the programs in these countries is the existence of highly explicit standards regarding food quality, nutritional content, kitchen hygiene, and professional oversight by nutritionists. Every school or service provider has a routine, measurable quality control mechanism in place.From these international practices, there are several principles that are relevant for MBG development in Indonesia.First, the program's success hinges heavily on strict, continuous standardization. Every kitchen must meet universal standards for sanitation, food safety, raw material quality, and operational governance.Second, continuous oversight is a non-negotiable. Regular evaluations of kitchens, suppliers, distribution, and food quality must become a permanent fixture of the system. In this regard, the Ministry of Health—which is already involved in monitoring the implementation of MBG—needs to take on a deeper, more substantial role.Third, the involvement of professionals like nutritionists plays a key role in safeguarding the program's quality. Oversight of nutritional content, menu variety, and food safety requires expertise that cannot be replaced by mere administrative mechanisms. This also requires support from the Ministry of Health.Fourth, coordination with local governments is a critical factor, given that the program's implementation occurs at the local level. National standards can only be effectively enforced when backed by strong implementation capacity on the ground.The evaluation conducted on thousands of SPPG units and the leadership shake-up at the BGN demonstrate that the government is making governance, operational compliance, and quality standards its primary focus for the next phase of the MBG program.Historically, Indonesia's National Health Insurance (JKN) program faced its share of criticism and rigorous evaluation during its early implementation phases. Today, however, it stands as one of the most widely felt and beneficial policies for the public, offering citizens peace of mind when accessing healthcare services.Lessons learned from that success are expected to serve as a benchmark for the free meal program to achieve a similar level of systemic maturity.