Jakarta, 1 April 2026
SEAMEO RECFON, in collaboration with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, conducted the Online Training on Nutrition and Health for School-age Children and Adolescents 2026. On April 1, 2026, the program officially commenced with the opening ceremony and the first synchronous virtual learning session, attended by participants from various regions across Indonesia via Zoom and the Learning Management System (LMS). This training is part of efforts to expand access to capacity building for educators in supporting the implementation of balanced nutrition and healthy lifestyle behaviors within educational institutions.
The training was attended by 528 teachers and school principals from 33 provinces across Indonesia, with the aim of strengthening educators’ capacity to deliver nutrition and health education to students within their respective educational institutions. In addition, the training encourages participants to develop implementable and contextual Action Plans (Rencana Tindak Lanjut/RTL) based on the needs of their schools.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Herqutanto, MPH., MARS., Acting Director of SEAMEO RECFON, emphasized the importance of strengthening educators’ capacity to support the health of future generations. He stated, “This training has been conducted for the 11th time, and to date has produced approximately 5,500 alumni who contribute to strengthening human resource capacity toward Indonesia Emas 2045.” He also highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing challenges such as anemia, stunting, and obesity. “Teachers play a vital role as agents of change in promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, and we encourage concrete Action Plans (RTL) in schools,” he added.
Aligned with efforts to strengthen the role of educational institutions in creating environments that support student health, Dr. Poppy Dewi Puspitawati, Senior Widyaprada from the Directorate of Junior Secondary Schools, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), stated in her keynote speech that “The transformation of schools into healthy environments should not only be reflected through classroom learning, but also through daily habits, shared mealtime experiences, and the strengthening of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Nutrition education and Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) must be fully integrated into the school ecosystem to foster sustainable healthy behaviors,” she said. She further added that “healthy adolescents will grow into healthy adults, therefore we need to continuously support children in maintaining their health.”
The training activities began with a learning commitment strengthening session led by Sari Kusuma, M.Gizi from SEAMEO RECFON, which introduced the learning flow and emphasized the importance of active participant engagement throughout the training process.
This was followed by Dr. Zainun Misbah, M.Sc from SEAMEO RECFON, who delivered a learning session titled “The Role of Educators as Role Models in the Successful Implementation of Nutrition and Health Programs in Schools/Madrasahs.” In his presentation, Dr. Zainun emphasized that the successful implementation of nutrition and health programs in educational institutions is strongly influenced by educators’ consistency in demonstrating behaviors that support healthy lifestyles for students.
At the end of the opening session, Dr. Luh Ade Ari Wiradnyani, Coordinator of the Nutrition Goes to School (NGTS) Program delivered a learning session titled “Nutrition and Health of School-age Children and Adolescents.” In her presentation, she highlighted several ongoing nutrition challenges, including anemia, stunting, and the increasing risk of overweight and obesity among adolescents. Responding to these conditions, she emphasized that prevention efforts must begin at school age, stating, “Ensuring balanced nutrition from school age is an important investment to support the health and productivity of future generations.”
As the training series continues through May 2026, this program is expected to further strengthen educators’ capacity to integrate nutrition and health education into learning activities and to create school environments that support healthy lifestyle behaviors. Through the development of concrete Action Plans, SEAMEO RECFON and its partners reaffirm their commitment to improving students’ health as a long-term investment toward achieving a healthier and more productive generation.