VP Gibran Invites Student Critics to Remote NTT to See School Lunch Program Firsthand

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming brought five university students to Desa Wolomoni, Ende, Nusa Tenggara Timur, on Thursday, June 18, 2026, to observe the implementation of the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program. The visit, which included stops at SMPN 1 Ndona and SDN Wolomoni, aimed to provide students from institutions including UI, UPH, Unsoed, Universitas Sanata Dharma, and ISBI with a direct perspective on conditions in remote Indonesian regions.

Did You Know? Vice President Gibran Rakabuming specifically invited the five students to participate in the working visit to witness the program firsthand, responding to previous public protests and calls for the MBG program to be discontinued.

Why the Program Remains a Priority

Despite ongoing debates and recent legal challenges involving the leadership of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Vice President Gibran maintains that the MBG program is essential. The Vice President emphasized that the program must continue, particularly for regions categorized as 3T (frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped). According to Gibran, the initiative is vital for students, and he expressed a commitment to accelerating the establishment of kitchen facilities at SDN Wolomoni to support local needs.

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Addressing Governance and Corruption Concerns

The government is currently prioritizing the restructuring of the MBG program’s management. This follows the arrest of the former head of the BGN, Dadan Hindayana, along with two deputies, Sony Sanjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, on corruption charges. Gibran acknowledged that while the program has faced shortcomings, the focus moving forward is on increasing efficiency, ensuring that procurement processes are transparent, and eliminating corrupt practices.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that the Vice President’s decision to involve university students in his field visit serves as a strategic move to bridge the gap between policy critics in urban centers and the realities of implementation in remote areas. By confronting the program’s governance failures—specifically the corruption scandal within the BGN—while simultaneously pushing for its expansion, the administration is attempting to decouple the necessity of the social program from the administrative mismanagement that previously plagued it.

What May Happen Next

The government is likely to implement stricter oversight on the procurement of food supplies to prevent future instances of non-compliant goods or financial irregularities. As the administration prepares to expedite the setup of kitchens in regions like Wolomoni, observers may expect a heightened focus on audit trails for the MBG budget. If governance reforms prove successful, the program could see a more stable rollout in other remote districts, though the administration’s ability to maintain public trust remains tied to its success in addressing the corruption charges against the former BGN leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the students invited by the Vice President?
The group consisted of five students from the University of Indonesia (UI), Pelita Harapan University (UPH), Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed), Sanata Dharma University, and the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISBI).

Why did the Vice President bring these students to NTT?
Gibran stated he brought them to see the conditions in remote areas firsthand, specifically noting that many of these students had previously protested and demanded that the MBG program be stopped.

What is the status of the Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN) leadership?
The former head of the BGN, Dadan Hindayana, and his two deputies, Sony Sanjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, have been named suspects in a corruption case related to the agency.

How do you believe transparency in local food programs should be maintained to prevent future mismanagement?

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