Jakarta. A number of high schools in Jakarta are set to take part in the trial test of President-Elect Prabowo Subianto’s policy of the free nutritious school meal next week.

Indonesia is only a few months away before the government officially starts distributing free school meals next year. The government is currently conducting trials and errors for this ambitious program. 

“We will conduct the trial test for high-schoolers next week,” Jakarta’s acting governor Heru Budi Hartono said on Monday when inspecting the free lunch distribution in SDN Manggarai 01 Elementary School and SMPN 3 Middle School.

According to Heru Budi, the government is still discussing internally to determine which high school they wish to be involved in the free meal trial. Heru said this program sought to improve the kids’ nutrition by feeding them a well-balanced meal. Healthy eating is set to be a boon for the children’s growth as well as their academic success.

A month has passed for the free meal trials. The government has tested the program with some elementary students and middle-schoolers. At SDN 01 Manggarai, the government worked alongside Bank DKI. The kids got the Indonesian-style steamed rice nasi uduk, egg stew, stir-fried soybean cake, a pumpkin vegetable dish, and a banana. Heru said the kids finished their meals, although some took quite a while to eat.

“There were 500 boxes and each portion cost around Rp 20,000,” Heru said.

The government partnered with the municipally owned body Dharma Jaya to feed the kids at SMPN 03 Manggarai. These middle schoolers had a beef teriyaki rice dish complete with salad and a banana. They distributed 1,000 boxes with each portion slightly more expensive at Rp 25,000.

“I think we really need to pay attention [to the meals we give] to the first and second graders. We have to make sure that they finish their meals because that is where they will get their nutrition. If they do not finish their meals, then it’s pointless,” Heru said.