"The 3,262 targeted beneficiaries come from 21 schools at various levels," Muhammad Humaidin, Secretary of Bima's Education, Youth, and Sports Office, remarked in the city on Tuesday.
He highlighted that the government aims to reach preschool and kindergarten children, as well as pupils across elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and vocational high schools.
The Bima municipal government originally proposed that the initial stage of the meals program would cover as many as 27,024 schoolchildren.
"However, the central government decided to focus the program's launch on 3,262 pupils studying in the sub-district of Asakota," he explained.
The official attributed the narrower coverage in the program’s preliminary phase to a delay in the distribution of the necessary logistics.
"We will use the challenges we encountered today for future evaluations," he remarked.
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Humaidin then affirmed that despite the setback, the delivery of free nutritious meal packages to the targeted schools proceeded smoothly.
"The beneficiary pupils expressed enthusiasm for the meals provided," he noted.
Additionally, the secretary assured that the distribution of nutritious meals did not disrupt teaching and learning activities.
"Thank God, the Free Nutritious Meals program has been positively received by the pupils," he stated.
He also affirmed that the Bima municipal government would continue coordinating with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to ensure the program’s success in the city.
"This meals program is a central government initiative, and our task in the region is to oversee its implementation and ensure it reaches all the targeted pupils," he concluded.
Under President Prabowo Subianto's command, the Indonesian government officially started the program on January 6, 2025. The target is to cover about 83 million beneficiaries by the end of the president's term in 2029.
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Translator: Nur I/ Ady A, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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