Lessons from India: Amartya Sen's Thoughts and the Free Lunch Scheme

Economist and thinker Amartya Sen from India argues that hunger is not just a result of food scarcity, but more of a failure of distribution and unequal economic access. In this context, MBG can be a strategic tool to overcome social inequality by ensuring that all children, regardless of economic status, have equal access to nutritious food. Learning from the experience of other countries, India has a similar program calledMidday Meal Scheme, a free lunch program for every student in school that aims to overcome malnutrition while increasing education participation rates. This program has shown that rights-based and inclusive food policies can create long-term impacts on people's welfare. Indonesia can learn from India's experience by ensuring that MBG is not just a short-term project, but also has an efficient distribution system, transparency in implementation, and a strong evaluation mechanism so that this program does not just become a temporary political promise.

Critical Pedagogy and Social Justice in MBG Policy

In the context of social justice, MBG policy must be designed to reduce the inequalities that have been the main cause of malnutrition in Indonesia. John Rawls, in his theory of justice, emphasizes that justice is not just about equality, but also about giving special attention to the most vulnerable groups. MBG is in line with this principle because it provides fairer access for those who are less able to meet their daily nutritional needs. Furthermore, this policy reflects the values ofAstacitaPrabowo, especially in aspects of equitable welfare, poverty alleviation, and improving the quality of life of the community. If implemented well, MBG could be a concrete step to build a more sustainable foundation of welfare for future generations.

In the perspective of critical pedagogy developed by Paulo Freire, public policy should not only betop-downand technocratic, but must also involve the community in the process. This means that the community must understand that food is a right, not just social assistance provided voluntarily by the government. This critical awareness is important so that the community does not only become passive beneficiaries, but also actively ensures that MBG policy runs transparently and effectively. If the community only sees MBG as a form of state generosity without understanding their right to food, then this program risks becoming a populist policy that loses its long-term impact. Therefore, Freire emphasizes that critical education must be part of this policy, by educating the community to be able to actively participate in ensuring that this policy runs well and sustainably.