Archive · 3 Sep 2025
Indonesia: Hundreds of Children Sickened by School Meals
In Indonesia, many kids got sick after eating the free school lunches.
About 400 children in one area had stomachaches, headaches, and diarrhea.
They ate meals like rice, eggs, and fruit from a central kitchen.
This happened because of the government's free school meal program, which is supposed to help kids.
Now, officials are checking to see what went wrong with the food and why so many children got sick.
The school kitchen has stopped cooking for now while they figure out the problem.
Around 400 children in Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, fell ill after eating free school meals.
The incident is linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s free school meal program.
Children aged 4 to 12 were rushed to hospitals with symptoms.
Authorities have launched an investigation and temporarily suspended kitchen operations.
The National Nutrition Agency, which oversees the program, has yet to comment.
- Who
- Children aged 4-12 and the Indonesian government.
- What
- Approximately 400 children fell ill after eating free school meals.
- When
- Last Thursday
- Where
- Bengkulu Province, Indonesia.
- Why
- An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the food poisoning.
- Incident Location
- Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
- Affected
- Approximately 400 children
- Symptoms
- Stomach pain, headaches, diarrhea
- Meal
- Turmeric rice, omelette, fried tempeh, salad, apple, milk
- Program
- Free school meals initiative
- Investigation Status
- Ongoing, kitchen operations suspended