Teachers to Receive Daily Stipend for Managing Free Meals

The Indonesian government will begin compensating teachers tasked with distributing meals under its Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, a key initiative of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.

According to a circular issued by the National Nutrition Body (BGN) on 28 September, teachers assigned to oversee meal distribution at schools will receive Rp100,000 (£5.20) per day, with payments made every 10 days. Each school will appoint between one and three teachers, prioritising assistant and contract staff, and implement a rotation system to share the workload.

Nanik S. Deyang, Deputy Head of BGN, said the policy was introduced to recognise the additional responsibilities placed on educators. “This is more than just financial support — it’s a form of appreciation,” she said in a statement.

The announcement follows criticism from the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), which told parliament that teachers were given unexpected logistical duties without compensation or prior consultation. “They were suddenly told to count trays, distribute meals, and even replace missing items,” said JPPI Coordinator Ubaid Matraji.

The MBG programme targets schoolchildren, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and toddlers, as part of broader efforts to address malnutrition across the country.

Source : https://en.tempo.co/read/2053031/bgn-to-compensate-teachers-for-free-meal-distribution-role?tracking_page_direct