Balikpapan. The launch of the free nutritious meal program didn't go well in the East Kalimantan city of Balikpapan on Monday. The program had to be postponed due to the need for further coordination between the catering provider and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

Previously, the government selected State Junior High School 5 and State Vocational High School 1 in the city as recipients of the first phase of the free nutritious meal program.

However, two days before the nationwide implementation, the catering provider appointed by BGN said it couldn't deliver in time and would postpone the service until next week. This delay disappointed students.

Acting Principal of State Junior High School 5 Balikpapan, Sriwati, said the catering provider had informed her about the postponement via WhatsApp.

"The delay is believed to be due to the catering provider still needing to coordinate further with the National Nutrition Agency," said Sriwati.

In this inaugural distribution, 1,247 students from grades 7 to 10 were supposed to receive nutritious meals from the government.

"Actually, we had already advised students to bring their own containers for food and drink, so if they are still full, the food can be taken home," she said.

Sriwati urged the government to prevent another delay in the nutritious meal program.

The ambitious program -- aimed at providing nutritious meals to school-aged children, expectant mothers, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers -- is projected to cost Rp 71 trillion ($4.4 billion) in its inaugural year, which will serve as a trial phase before the program expands to its full capacity next year.

The initial trial will run until March, targeting 3 million beneficiaries. This number will double between April and June, with the government aiming to expand coverage to 17 million recipients by the end of 2025.

The budget for each meal is set at Rp 10,000 per person -- less than a dollar -- underscoring the program’s focus on providing affordable yet nutritious meals.

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