Jakarta:  Indonesian authorities have launched another investigation into suspected food poisoning cases after hundreds of students reportedly fell ill from meals served under the government’s free school meal program. The latest incident occurred in Yogyakarta province, where around 660 students from two schools were hospitalized after consuming meals distributed through the initiative.

Officials from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) said early findings suggest the outbreak may have been caused by improper food storage and delayed delivery of cooked meals. The agency has since ordered tighter monitoring of kitchen operations and advised meal providers to reduce portion sizes to help keep food fresh during transportation.

The free school meal program, one of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship initiatives, aims to serve up to 70 million children by the end of this year. It was introduced to combat child malnutrition and improve school attendance, but repeated food poisoning cases have raised public concern about hygiene and food safety.

Non-governmental organizations estimate that nearly 15,000 children across the country have fallen ill since the program began earlier this year. Earlier reports from Indonesia’s food and drug agency revealed that more than 9,000 children had suffered similar illnesses between January and September.

The government initially allocated 171 trillion rupiah (about 10.3 billion US dollars) for the project this year. However, due to logistical and infrastructure challenges, only around 99 trillion rupiah is expected to be spent by year-end. Many of the 11,000 kitchens operating nationwide reportedly lack proper certification, and some have been functioning for less than a month.

Critics and child welfare groups have called for a temporary suspension of the program until safety standards are improved. Lawmakers have also urged the government to increase supervision and ensure that food handlers receive proper training and certification.

Authorities are now testing food samples and inspecting kitchen facilities involved in the latest incident. Health officials have confirmed that the affected students are recovering and in stable condition.

The government insists it remains committed to continuing the program but acknowledges the urgent need for stronger food safety controls to protect children and restore public trust.