Indonesia's $10 Billion School Meals Program Faces Crisis as Over 1,000 Students Suffer Food Poisoning

Students receive medical treatment after suffering food poisoning from government-funded school meals program.

Authorities report that over 1,000 children in Indonesia's West Java province have experienced food poisoning this week after consuming school lunches, marking the latest in a series of outbreaks that further complicate the president's ambitious free meals initiative.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi confirmed to Reuters on Thursday that mass poisoning incidents were reported across four areas of the province. This crisis emerges as non-governmental organizations are calling for the program's suspension due to growing health and safety concerns.

These recent cases follow closely behind last week's poisoning of 800 students in both West Java and Central Sulawesi provinces who consumed school lunches provided through President Prabowo Subianto's flagship nutritious meals program.

The rapid expansion of the scheme, which now serves over 20 million recipients with aims to feed 83 million Indonesians by year-end, has raised significant questions about quality standards and oversight. The program currently operates on a substantial budget of 171 trillion rupiah ($10.22 billion), which is set to double next year.

Governor Mulyadi detailed that more than 470 students became ill in West Bandung on Monday after eating the free meals, with three additional outbreaks occurring Wednesday across West Bandung and Sukabumi regions, affecting at least 580 more children.

"We must evaluate those managing the program... And critically, we need to address the psychological trauma students are experiencing after consuming this food," Mulyadi stated, noting that small hospitals in West Bandung were overwhelmed by the influx of sick students.

President Prabowo's office has not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding these latest incidents. Dadan Hindayana, who heads the National Nutrition Agency overseeing the free meals program, confirmed that kitchens linked to poisoning cases have been temporarily suspended.

Local broadcaster Kompas TV aired footage showing a West Bandung sports hall converted into an emergency treatment center, with dozens of affected students on fold-out beds and others lying on the floor in distress. Additional images depicted students receiving treatment outside hospital buildings while ambulances continuously arrived and departed.

According to the Network for Education Watch think tank, prior to this week's incidents, at least 6,452 children nationwide had already suffered food poisoning from the program since its January launch.

Governor Mulyadi highlighted systemic issues with the program's implementation, noting that kitchens were tasked with feeding excessive numbers of students and were often located far from schools. This logistics challenge forced meal preparation to begin extremely early, sometimes the night before serving.

"When the food was still warm, it was immediately placed in covered trays, creating conditions that led to spoilage," he explained.

The local government has declared a health emergency for the West Bandung region due to the mass food poisoning, enabling the provincial government to allocate emergency funds to address the crisis, Mulyadi added.