East Kalimantan Trials For Free Nutrition Eating Program In North Penajam Paser, Balikpapan And Samarinda

SAMARINDA - The Provincial Government of East Kalimantan (Kaltim) is ready to carry out a free nutritious trial program in three regions, namely Penajam Paser Utara (PPU) Regency, Samarinda City and Balikpapan.

Acting Governor of East Kalimantan Akmal Malik explained that the Central Government program echoed by President Prabowo Subianto to eat the free nutritious is planned to be implemented in early December 2024.

"For free meals, this is not only a public school. I have asked the Education and Culture Office to map which schools will be given a first free nutritious meal," said Acting Governor of East Kalimantan Akmal Malik as reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 2.

Akmal asked for free nutritious feeding to focus on school children, both public schools and private schools.

"Maybe SD and SLB. In the three regions first, there are three schools in each area first," said Akmal. According to Akmal, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government asked for three schools for each district and city, starting from public, private and SLB schools.

"God willing, we will start in early December. Although there is no allocation yet, we will make a pilot first. So, we will simulate first how to provide free nutritious food for elementary school children," said Akmal Malik.

It is known that the free lunch program is a political campaign promise for the presidential pair and Vice President Prabowo-Gibran during the February 2024 presidential election.

After being elected and inaugurated, President Prabowo Subianto has ambitions to realize his campaign promise, namely providing free nutritious food for school children, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. The program will be realized in 2025.

In addition to meeting the nutritional needs of Indonesian children and increasing the presence of school children, the program is also designed to be one of the catalysts driving Indonesia's economic growth, because the government will spend trillions of rupiah.

Prabowo has formed a National Nutrition Agency to implement the program, through the President for the 2014-2024 period, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) who stipulates Presidential Regulation Number 83 of 2024 concerning the National Nutrition Agency.

The National Nutrition Agency has been conducting trials for the last 9 months to carry out the program.