Cirebon. Approximately 18,000 students participate in a five-day trial of free nutritious meals program in Cirebon, West Java, on Wednesday.

President-elect Prabowo Subianto's flagship program aims to provide meals to 68,000 elementary and secondary students in the city when it officially launches next year, expanding to 15 million students across the nation in 2025.

Indonesia's Presidential Advisory Council Chairperson, Wiranto, along with National Resilience Council Secretary General Admiral T.S.N.B. Hutabarat and Executive Chairman of B-Universe Enggartiasto Lukita, attended the trial launch of the free nutritious meal program at State Junior High School 1 Cirebon.

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Arriving around 10 a.m., Wiranto and his delegation were warmly welcomed by Cirebon’s Acting Mayor, Agus Mulyadi, and hundreds of students from SMP Negeri 1. The trial program aims to provide free nutritious meals to 68,000 students in Cirebon over four days.

“The initiative is a significant undertaking, and the trial will help us identify the best partners for delivering nutritious meals to schools across the city,” said Cirebon’s Head of Education, Kadini, during the event.

Cirebon, which relies on imports for most of its food supplies, is collaborating with various stakeholders, including the city’s Health Department, local SMEs, and the Indonesian Milk Cooperative Union (GKSI), to ensure the program's success. Kadini emphasized that the meals provided will meet high nutritional standards, offering balanced portions of calories, protein, and essential nutrients.

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The trial is seen as a crucial step toward improving student nutrition in the region, with the potential for wider implementation across Indonesia.

Once Prabowo assumes the presidency next month, the free meal program will be rolled out in stages. When fully implemented, it will cover 82 million children nationwide by 2029.

The current administration of President Joko Widodo fully supports the program, which has been included in the 2025 budget drafted by his cabinet.

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