The Dilemma of Inclusiveness of Free Nutritious Meals in the Socio-Economic Spectrum of Education in Bekasi Regency, West Java

Abstract

The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) policy is a national strategic intervention aimed primarily at accelerating the reduction in stunting prevalence by meeting the chronic nutritional needs of school-aged children. However, its implementation in Bekasi Regency faces serious challenges related to fiscal effectiveness and distributive justice. This study analyzes the dilemma of inclusivity in the implementation of MBG, which targets all educational units regardless of economic status, from schools in coastal areas vulnerable to nutrition to elite schools in independent cities. Using descriptive qualitative research methods through policy documentation studies and field observations, this study evaluates the relevance of food subsidies for students from well-off families who have in fact exceeded the program's minimum nutritional standards. The study results indicate that a rigid inclusive approach risks creating budget inefficiencies, where the allocation of funds for elite schools actually results in potential food waste because the menu standards are below the expected daily consumption of well-off students, while at the same time, the intensity of animal protein for schools in stunting red zones is still limited to the same budget ceiling. The main emphasis of this research is that the MBG policy to address stunting should not only pursue universal administrative coverage, but should also be able to stratify assistance so that state resources are more focused on vulnerable groups with the highest urgency for nutritional improvement. This research recommendation points to the need for flexibility in MBG governance at the regional level through an opt-out mechanism for independent schools to reallocate subsidies to strengthen nutrition at priority stunting locations in Bekasi Regency.