Building a Healthy, Intelligent Generation with Strong Character through MBG Nutrition Education

Jakarta, 28 August 2025 – The educational component of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme was strengthened through nutrition education training of trainers (ToT) for all education levels, from early childhood education (PAUD) and primary school (SD) to junior secondary (SMP) and senior secondary school (SMA). Held at Best Western Senayan, the activity was a strategic step towards developing MBG beyond meal provision into a holistic approach combining nutrition interventions, education and healthy habits.

The Need for Nutrition Literacy Across Education Levels

The training responded to urgent nutrition challenges among school-age children and adolescents. The 2023 Indonesian Health Survey (SKI) reported a high prevalence of anaemia among people aged 15–24 years (15.5%), affecting concentration and learning performance. Indonesia also faces a double burden of malnutrition, with high levels of adolescent overweight/obesity and low fruit and vegetable consumption: more than 97% of children aged 5–19 years do not meet the recommended intake. These conditions call for systematic efforts to change eating behaviours and improve nutrition literacy.

Tiered and Contextual Education Strategies

The training centred on a tiered, contextual approach to nutrition education appropriate to students’ development. The module equipped facilitators with a different focus at each level:

• Early Childhood Education (Golden Years)
  Introducing tastes and textures and encouraging positive eating habits through play.
• Primary School (Rapid Growth)
  Reinforcing good habits, introducing healthy foods and increasing interest in dietary variety.
• Junior Secondary School (Early Adolescence)
  Improving understanding of the links between nutrition and health, anaemia prevention and the risk of overweight.
• Senior Secondary School (Late Adolescence)
  Understanding complex nutrition issues such as body image, eating disorders, food literacy and responsible food choices.

School nutrition education is now an integral part of MBG. Teachers and facilitators play an important role as agents of change, integrating nutrition messages into curricular activities, co-curricular activities and daily routines.

Building the Capacity of Cross-Sector Agents of Change

This ToT aims to provide a strong foundation for MBG’s success across educational institutions, specifically by enabling participants to:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the MBG Nutrition Education Module.
• Apply effective, contextual teaching approaches across education levels.
• Guide teachers in integrating nutrition messages and developing follow-up action plans (RTL).

The activity was a strategic collaboration involving Kementerian Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah (Kemendikdasmen), Kementerian Kesehatan (Kemenkes), Kementerian Agama, Bappenas, Kemendagri, Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN), and development partners including UNICEF and the CoE at IPB University.

Training involved interactive presentations, simulations, case studies and facilitation practice. Around 50 participants attended from national and local institutions, including representatives of the PAUD, SD, SMP and SMA directorates, Kemenag, BPMP DKI Jakarta, and education offices from the Greater Jakarta area.

Academic Commitment and Steps Towards Golden Indonesia 2045

This cross-sector collaboration demonstrates a shared commitment to comprehensive MBG implementation, from providing nutritious food to strengthening nutrition literacy and healthy behaviours. Through the training, facilitators are expected to become drivers of change in educational institutions.

As stated in the opening remarks, “Nutrition education is not only about what we eat, but how we build awareness, responsibility and independence in maintaining our own health and the health of the nation.” Integrated nutrition education is an important milestone in strengthening educational institutions as drivers of social transformation towards a healthy, intelligent and globally competitive Golden Generation of Indonesia.