Woman: MBG = Problematic food, yes or no?

Man: MBG = Critically dangerous food?

Student: MBG = Food for the teachers? Please Mr, taste it!!!

Parent: MBG = How can cooking be like that? Five thousand pupils poisoned!!!

The Education and Teachers Association (P2G) has criticised a circular by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) that provides financial initiatives for teachers supervising President Prabowo Subianto's flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program in schools.

The association argued that the policy shifts responsibility for the widespread cases of food poisoning linked to the program onto teachers.

"In our view, with the issuance of this circular, it is reasonable to suspect that the National Nutrition Body is attempting to evade responsibility for the wave of MBG poisoning in schools", P2G Advocacy Department had Iman Zanatul Haeri said in a statement on October 1.

Haeri warned that transferring supervisory responsibility to teachers could lead to new problems, particularly concerning occupational safety, workload and even the risk of criminalisation should poisoning incidents occur.

He stressed that teachers lack the competence to conduct food safety checks and should not be held accountable for contamination cases. "If detection is done by tasting, it puts their lives in danger", he added.

Haeri also criticised the 100,000 rupiah daily incentive for teachers designated as MBG supervisors, calling it inadequate compared to the risks involved and said that the policy could result in teachers being the first to face blame if food poisoning occurs in a school.

The P2G also highlighted the inconsistency of the incentive policy given the plight of honorary teachers, many of whom are still waiting for promised government aid. Data from P2G's complaint posts shows that 518 honorary teachers or 97 percent of registrants have not received the 300,000 rupiah monthly allowance pledged by President Prabowo.

"If BGN can provide 100,000 rupiah per day for MBG supervisors, shouldn't it be easier for the government to pay honorary teachers 3 rupiah million per month? Why is it so difficult to improve their welfare?", Haeri was quoted as saying by Tempo on October 1.

In response, the P2G is urging the government to impose a moratorium and carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the MBG program. The association is also calling for the withdrawal of the BGN policy assigning teachers as supervisors and for stronger measures to ensure the program is effective without endangering the safety of both teachers and students.

[Abridged from an October 1 article by Tempo titled "Teachers' group: BGN incentives shift blame for free meal poisonings to educators".]