Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has said that students who post complaints about the free nutritious meal program, known as Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG), on social media are showing a lack of gratitude.
The government has urged that any concerns related to the program be reported through official channels rather than shared publicly on digital platforms.
BGN Expert Council member Ikeu Tanziha questioned the value of students uploading images or accounts of poor-quality meals, including reports of maggots found in food provided under the MBG program.
"For example, if there are maggots found in an MBG meal, what benefit does the child gain from posting it?" Ikeu said during a discussion on the program at the Alex Tilaar Learning Space in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
According to Ikeu, such posts risk shaping negative character traits among students. "Our concern is that this could foster a sense of ingratitude in children," she said.
Ikeu urged students who encounter problems with MBG meals to immediately report them to their teachers. She said issues could be resolved directly at the school level without being amplified on social media.
"If maggots are found, report it to the teacher. A solution can be arranged, perhaps the meal is replaced, and the issue is resolved. If only one portion has a problem, why does it need to be posted online?" she said.
BGN has also encouraged parents and the wider public to submit complaints directly to the government. Ikeu said the agency, together with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, is currently preparing an integrated complaint system to allow reports to be made more easily.
"In the future, anyone, whether they have phone credit or not, will be able to call and submit a complaint. For now, calls may still be charged, but we are working on a system where the cost will be billed to BGN," she said.
Ikeu's remarks were made in response to comments by Iman Zanatul Haeri, head of advocacy at the Education and Teachers Association (P2G). Iman said many students and teachers feel pressured and are reluctant to openly raise concerns about the MBG program.
"Many students are afraid to post anything. Students are pressured by teachers, teachers by schools, and schools may be pressured by education offices," Iman said. "The problem is, it is unclear who is applying the pressure at the top."