Members of the Southeast Asian and Indonesian School-Based Nutrition Promotion (SBNP) Working Groups adopted the operating guidelines drafted by SEAMEO RECFON and formulated their plans of activities for the next four years during a virtual workshop held on 8-9 July 2021.

The operating guidelines contain the overall goal, objectives, functions, structure and management, members’ composition, responsibilities and benefits, funding and partnership arrangements,  monitoring and evaluation system, and institutionalization of the Working Groups.

The plans of activities reflect the functions of the sub-working groups on evidence compilation, knowledge resource sharing, communication campaign and policy advocacy, and capacity building of SBNP stakeholders except the latter in the case of the Indonesian SBNP Working Group.

SEAMEO RECFON initiated the establishment of the Working Group for Indonesia in 2018 and for SEA in 2019 recognizing the need to have a forum to catalyze the progress and sharing of best practices on SBNP within and among countries in the region and advance together on this aspect.  SBNP activities are generally regarded as effective means to ensure that good nutrition habits are developed at an early age among school children which they can continue in their adult life.   Thus, the  overall goal of both Working Groups is to enhance the quality and mainstream the practice of SBNP as a regular activity of schools at national and regional levels.

The SEA SBNP Working Group workshop was attended by 50 participants from relevant ministries,  universities and research institutions, international development organizations, and SEAMEO Centres from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, and the Philippines.  On the other hand, 53 members from the Ministry of Education, Health and Religion,  academic institutions, and SEAMEO RECFON SBNP Team  joined the Indonesian SBNP Working Group workshop.

For further information about the SEA and Indonesian SBNP Working Groups, please contact Dr. Helda Khusun at hkhusun@seameo-recfo.org