Jakarta, Nov. 21 -- The Indonesian National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs to support the expansion of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to more Islamic boarding schools, or pesantrens, across the country.

During a meeting with Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Muhammad Syafi'i in Jakarta, BGN Deputy Head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said that most pesantren students, or santri, have yet to benefit from the flagship program.

"Of around 11 million santris and one million pesantren instructors, only two percent have received free nutritious meals," Deyang noted in a statement cited here on Friday.

She also expressed concern over the limited number of pesantrens operating MBG kitchens, officially kno...