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| Celios Survey Finds Scholarships More Needed Than Free Nutritious Meal Program. |
A new survey by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) reveals that most Indonesians believe scholarship assistance is far more necessary than the government’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
Celios Public Policy Director, Media Wahyudi Askar, explained that the survey presented five types of aid to respondents, including cash transfers, educational scholarships, child happiness assistance, educational supplies assistance, and MBG. From the results, MBG ranked last among the preferred aid programs.
According to Media, parents tend to favor cash transfers and scholarships because they are considered more flexible and have a direct impact on family and educational needs. Meanwhile, the MBG program is seen as offering smaller benefits and is not always well-targeted.
MBG Value Considered Much Lower
Media added that if the MBG program were replaced with cash transfers, recipients could receive a much higher benefit value. Based on Celios’ calculations, beneficiaries could get Rp50,000 per day, which is five times greater than the current MBG value of around Rp10,000 per meal.
Providing aid in the form of direct cash allows families to decide their own priorities. For example, parents could use the money to buy school supplies, pay for transportation, or even improve their family’s nutrition in their own way.
Possible Impact on Education Budget
Celios also warned that the MBG program could create a trade-off with the national education budget. Media noted that part of the funding for MBG actually comes from education sector allocations.
This has already started to affect universities across the country. Several campuses have reportedly reduced their scholarship budgets, with some cutting allocations by as much as 50 percent.
Media emphasized that this situation is concerning, as scholarships play a vital role in ensuring equal access to higher education. Diverting too much funding from education to MBG could reduce opportunities for students from low-income families to continue their studies.
Scholarships Offer Long-Term Benefits
From both economic and social perspectives, scholarships are seen as providing stronger long-term benefits. By improving access to education, scholarship recipients are more likely to achieve better living standards, secure decent jobs, and contribute to economic growth.
In contrast, the MBG program offers more short-term benefits and may not effectively address nutritional issues in a sustainable way. Experts also note that the success of MBG depends on the quality of food provided and how well the program is monitored.
Time to Reevaluate Government Aid Programs
Given these findings, Celios encourages the government to reevaluate existing social aid programs to ensure they align with the real needs of the people and deliver maximum impact.
Scholarships, educational support, and cash transfers remain the top priorities among Indonesians because they are more adaptable to individual family conditions.
If the government chooses to continue the MBG program, Media suggested that the funding should not come at the expense of education. Instead, the government could seek additional funding sources or partnerships with the private sector to maintain the nutrition program without reducing scholarship opportunities.
The Celios survey serves as a crucial reminder for policymakers to reassess the effectiveness of the Free Nutritious Meal initiative. People are now calling for social assistance programs that truly address basic needs while supporting the future of Indonesia’s young generation through education.