He made the remarks during his visit to Hang Tuah 2 Middle School and Hang Tuah 1 High School in Jakarta on Wednesday, according to the Vice Presidential Press Bureau.
As per a statement released by the press bureau, the Vice President arrived at noon and immediately visited classes where the students were having lunch.
The menu was steamed rice, eggs, tempeh, stir-fried vegetables, and oranges—a combination of foods rich in nutrients such as fiber, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
During his visit, Gibran expressed the hope that the students would consistently maintain a healthy diet.
He noted that healthy eating habits are linked to a healthy quality of life.
He also underlined the importance of choosing balanced nutritious food to support growth, improve concentration in learning, and prevent diseases related to poor eating habits.
On the same occasion, a student named Livia said that the MBG program can help students save on pocket money and maintain a consistent pattern of healthy eating at school.
"Thank you, the lunch is very useful," she remarked.
The MBG program has been initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.
Currently, the program is running in 31 provinces with the help of 238 public kitchens serving around 650 thousand children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.
The government officially launched the program on January 6, 2025, with a budget of Rp71 trillion (around USD4.35 billion).
The program has four objectives: preparing superior resources, lowering stunting rates, alleviating poverty, and fostering community economic growth to achieve the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045.
The program is targeting to reach three million beneficiaries by April 2025.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
