Focus On MBG's Budget For School Improvements, Minister Of Home Affairs: Don't Make Kitchens

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian said President Prabowo Subianto ordered that the regional budget allocated for the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program be focused on improving school facilities and infrastructure facilities.

"Mr. President's orders to us for budgets in areas that originally budgeted for Free Nutrition Food are better focused on improving schools," Tito said in a Working Meeting held by Commission II of the DPR RI at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, February 3, which was confiscated by Antara.

Because, he continued, the implementation of the MBG program was carried out centrally by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

This, he said, was the response he received when conveying to President Prabowo regarding several regions that allocated the MBG program budget in the unexpected shopping nomenclature (BTT) in the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD).

"We have reported to the President in the Plenary Meeting that specifically for the Free Nutrition Eating (MBG) program this is carried out centralistically by the National Nutrition Agency," he said.

He said President Prabowo paid attention so that the implementation of the MBG program does not rule out school facilities and infrastructure which are also important aspects in supporting teaching and learning activities.

"Because don't make a kitchen, then the school, the main room is not good, it leaks, etc. Then, the school is complete, the seats are tilted," he said.

In fact, he added, President Prabowo paid great attention to improving toilet facilities in schools in the country.

"Especially he really emphasizes the problem of toilets, sir, and that is our concern. So toilets for school children, all schools, elementary, junior high, high school, everything must be good," he said.

Tito also admitted that he had discussed with the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana regarding the budget allocation by the Regional Government to support the MBG program.

He said that the Head of BGN asked for two main things from the Regional Government, and this was not related to the budget.

"Regions can become partners to prepare a Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit, the term is SPPG which has a kitchen to prepare food and others will later be rented by the Nutrition Agency, and after that it can get PAD (Regional Original Income) for the regions," he said.

In addition, he said again, the regions were also asked to intensify supply to meet food supplies in SPPG in these areas.

"That's raising livestock, then planting for supply to the SPPG service unit earlier because it will require a large amount of supply, food, both livestock from livestock and from agriculture, plantations, including for MSMEs and villages for example," he explained.

He believes that the implementation of MBG by involving the regions such as the above scheme will eventually be able to create a circular economy.

"In our opinion, this program can lure it, provoke production to occur in a circular economy. Well, that's what we encourage colleagues in the regions, apart from being SPPG partners by building a service unit that will be rented by the National Nutrition Agency," he said.

At the end, he also emphasized once again that no regional budget was used for the MBG program.

"The existing educational budget should not be used for Free Nutritional Food, but is used to improve schools, namely especially toilets," said Tito.