Prabowo Subianto Claims Free School Lunch Program A 'Necessity'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential candidate number 2 Prabowo Subianto claimed that his proposed free lunch for schoolchildren and nutritional assistance for pregnant people is a necessity. He denied the accusation that the program is seen as a mouthwatering business proposition.

The priority program, he said, must be conducted to eradicate stunting and create a healthy and productive future generation. 

"This is not about how mouthwatering it is, but about us. It's about necessities. About the future of the nation," he said during a dialogue at the Press Council office on Thursday, January 4, 2023.

Indonesia scored significantly low on the worldwide academic assessment, as seen from its PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) ranks, Prabowo claimed. "I heard, but please cross-check [the information], that out of the 1,000 best universities in the world, we don't know whether Indonesian universities are included," he said.

PISA is a program initiated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development or OECD, a study to evaluate the educational system of 81 countries. From 2000, 15-year-old schoolchildren are randomly chosen to participate in reading, maths, and science tests every three years.

In the most recent PISA study, Indonesia scored below average, with 366 for maths from a 472 average, 359 for reading from a 476 average, and 383 for science from a 485 average.

Prabowo concluded from the result that Indonesia's human resources will improve along with nutritional improvement. Hence, Prabowo and his vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka propose free school lunches and nutritional assistance for pregnant people as a priority program if elected in the upcoming general elections. "I believe that it is feasible," he claimed.

Prabowo explained that the milk in the free school lunch program is sourced directly from livestock farmers, not pre-packaged ones. When asked if Indonesian farmers can fulfill such demand, Prabowo admitted that it would be difficult.

"But let me ask, do we have the ambition? Do we have the political will? If so, in 1, 2, 3, or 4 years we'll import the cows and develop [the program]," he said.

The presidential candidate also claimed that the State Budget is adequate to cover the Rp400 trillion needed for the program. The economist from the Digita, Economy Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Nailul Huda earlier highlighted this issue.

Nailul claimed the budget is feasible but will form a crutch for Indonesia's economic growth. "[It could be achieved] by taxing everything including groceries, and other commodities," Nailul told Tempo on December 22, 2023.

ANTARA | YOHANES MAHARSO

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