More than 800 students and teachers in Indonesia suffer food poisoning after eating government free meals
Hundreds of students fall ill in three separate incidents in Java and Sumatra this week as criticism of president’s flagship program grows
TL;DR
- More than 800 Indonesian students and teachers have experienced food poisoning from the free-meals program.
- Incidents occurred in Sidoarjo (East Java), Nganjuk (East Java), and Agam (West Sumatra).
- The program aims to tackle malnutrition by providing meals to over 62 million students and pregnant women.
- Past complaints have included maggots in food, glass in rice, and unsanitary food preparation.
- A lawmaker called the situation a "failure of the system."
- President Prabowo downplayed the scale of the problem, highlighting a low percentage of poisoning cases relative to meals served.
- Despite criticism, the program is set to continue with promised improvements.
- The program's goal is to ensure children do not study while hungry and to combat stunting.