Childhood food insecurity has been a persistent global issue. Universal free school meal programs address this pressing problem effectively and influence students’ lives in multiple ways. In the United States, feeding all students in schools is a relatively new concept, first launched in California in 2022. Seven other states, including Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont, have implemented similar initiatives for all students enrolled in public K-12 schools. However, these programs have long existed in other countries, with Finland in 1943, Sweden in 1946, Estonia in 2002, India in 2008, and South Korea in 2011.
This year, Indonesia became the latest country to launch a free school meal program. President Prabowo Subianto pledged to provide free school lunches and milk to millions of students across more than 400,000 schools. It is part of his vision to achieve a “Golden Indonesia” generation by 2045. The Free Nutritious Meal Program addresses food insecurity and improves educational outcomes nationwide.
Indonesia has approximately 83 million children, around a quarter of its total population. It is the fourth most populous country in the world and one of the nations with the largest child populations. However, about 12% of children in Indonesia live in poverty. A nutritious mid-day meal with protein, vegetables and fruit, for example rice with a spiced, hard-boiled egg, stir-fried vegetables, a box of milk, and a slice of melon nourishes children’s growth and development.
“I am happy to receive the nutritious meal, milk and fruit,” said Shakila, an Indonesian sixth-grader, "This has made me eager, going to school.”
