May 16, 2025 | Garut, West Java – At the heart of West Java, the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) kitchen at the Persatuan Islam (Persis) Islamic Boarding School in Tarogong, Garut, is doing more than just feeding students. It is building a community-based supply chain—where the parents of the students serve as the primary food suppliers, and the students themselves are the direct beneficiaries of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship High-Impact Quick Result Program (PHTC).
“Nearly all of our food ingredients come directly from the students’ families—from vegetables and fruits to beef and poultry,” said Hj Ida Rogayah, Head Chef of the Persis Garut MBG Kitchen, on Thursday (May 15). “We buy directly from our partners, most of whom are the students’ own parents.”
This integration of supply and consumption has made implementation smooth. The school’s Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) has 47 kitchen staff—most of them already experienced in preparing daily meals for the boarding students. “The only shift since MBG began is our heightened attention to meeting the nutritional standards set by the National Nutrition Agency,” added Hj Ida.
While the MBG kitchen officially began operations when the program was launched nationally on January 6, 2025, trial runs had already been conducted as early as December 2024. The school administration modified its sports hall (GOR) into a full-fledged meal-prep facility. “We converted the gym into a kitchen,” said Ustadz H Mohammad Iqbal Santoso, the school’s director (Mudir Am), who met visiting government officials while accompanied by other school leaders due to health issues.
Nutritionist Siti Nurbayati Solihah, who supervises menu compliance, emphasized the team’s firm commitment to food quality. “We reject any substandard ingredients. Just recently, we had to return a batch of pok choi that was slightly wilted,” she explained, accompanied by Saefullah Rahmat, head of the Persis Garut SPPG unit.
Five months in, the kitchen has operated with no complaints from students or their families. “Sometimes younger children in preschool or kindergarten don’t like eating vegetables at first,” said Ustadzah Ainurjannah, the school matron and wife of Ustadz Iqbal. “But over time, those complaints fade. Introducing vegetables is part of the broader nutrition education we provide.”
Deputy I of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), M Isra Ramli, who visited the kitchen alongside senior and junior advisors, noted that MBG operations at the school have met the national SOP standards. “Food safety is a sensitive issue. We’ll continue to evaluate and refine the system to aim for zero accidents,” he said.
The delegation also visited a coffee roasting facility and a modern café brand called Kopi 76, operated by alumni of the boarding school. They held discussions with hundreds of teachers and students during the tour.
Earlier in the day, the group greeted elementary students at SD/Ibtidaiyah Persis Garut. However, because the visit took place on a Thursday, many students were observing the traditional Monday-Thursday voluntary fast. As a result, the MBG meals were not consumed on-site but taken home for iftar. “That’s why the MBG menu on fasting days is designed for shelf life—bread, fruit, and boxed milk,” said the kitchen chief.
Also in attendance was Didit Fajar Putradi, Head of the Garut District Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), representing the regency’s leadership. He praised the program’s local focus. “In Garut, we now have 19 SPPG units operating across 14 sub-districts and 19 villages, each capable of serving around 3,000 meals per day,” he noted.
“But we need over 300 MBG kitchens. The Garut regional government is committed to supporting this national program. We’ll mobilize local agencies and village administrations to identify land for kitchen development. The central government provides the funding, and we handle the infrastructure,” Didit concluded.
(RR)
