Indonesias free school meals programme under scrutiny as 5,000 children fall ill
Independent1 day
Indonesia: Over 5K Children Fall Ill from Free School Lunches
Above: A high school student eats a free meal at State Senior High School in West Java, Indonesia, on April 14, 2025. Image copyright: Dimas Rachmatsyah/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Government-critical narrative
Indonesia's $28 billion school meal program is a catastrophic failure that has poisoned over 6,000 children while creating massive corruption opportunities. The program costs 18 times more per child than India's successful system, yet keeps making kids sick with expired food and poor oversight. This expensive disaster should be halted immediately.
Pro-government narrative
The government is taking decisive action to fix the school meal program by tightening safety protocols and working with stakeholders. Officials are conducting thorough evaluations, welcoming public feedback and implementing stricter cooking schedules to prevent future incidents. This proactive response shows a genuine commitment to ensuring children's safety.
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.16.0
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.16.0