Nearly 2,000 students and teachers across Indonesia have fallen ill with suspected food poisoning over the past three days, linked to the government's free school meals program. The incidents have triggered investigations into the multibillion-dollar initiative, which is one of President Prabowo Subianto's signature policies aimed at improving schoolchildren's nutrition.
In one of the latest cases, 777 people became unwell after consuming meals at a high school in Rembang, Central Java. The headteacher stated that students experienced diarrhea and had to take turns using the school's 40 toilets. Nearly 1,200 students and 95 staff members were sent home, and several were hospitalized. The government has committed to covering medical costs, and the local food distributor has apologized and taken responsibility for the students' and teachers' recovery, announcing a comprehensive evaluation of its operations.
This outbreak followed a similar incident on Tuesday, where 730 individuals at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, fell ill after eating meals provided by the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program. Some affected students required hospital treatment, with a few needing wheelchairs due to weakness.
Hundreds more have reported falling ill across several schools in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, this week. Parents and teachers have described issues such as slimy chicken and undercooked food with a fishy odor. Local authorities are actively investigating the causes of these suspected outbreaks and are testing food samples for contamination.
The free school meals program has faced scrutiny, with allegations of corruption and criticism regarding its substantial cost, in addition to the reported food poisoning incidents. The head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency has stated that if negligence or criminal elements are identified, apologies would be offered, but assistance would be limited.