SEAMEO RECFON, in collaboration with Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka (UHAMKA), organized a consultation workshop on initial assessment of workers health and development of Nutrition Goes to Workplace (NGTW) Training. The event was held on 18 March 2025 in Faculty of Teacher Training and Education UHAMKA Hall, East Jakarta, attended by 56 participants from various government institutions and educational organizations. The workshop aimed to disseminate findings from a study on the nutritional status of teachers and education personnel in Jakarta and West Java, as well as to gather feedback on the curriculum and implementation plans for the NGTW training program.

In her opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Nani Solihati, M.Pd., Vice-Rector III for Research, Community Engagement, Publications, and Innovation of UHAMKA, emphasized the importance of the workshop in raising awareness of the connection between nutrition and productivity. “If teachers and education personnel have poor nutrition, how can they maintain high enthusiasm for teaching and working? Good nutrition quality has a direct impact on performance and overall well-being” she stated.

Meanwhile, Dr. dr. Herqutanto, MPH., MARS., Sp.KKLP, Acting Director of SEAMEO RECFON, expressed his appreciation to UHAMKA and Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ) for their contributions to the NGTW study. He highlighted that the event aimed to ensure that the developed nutrition training curriculum is highly relevant and applicable to education personnel. “We seek to establish cross-sectoral synergy to ensure the program optimal implementation, from pilot stages to full-scale execution and expansion in the future” he explained.

The session was moderated by Dr. Helda Khusun, Senior Expert of SEAMEO RECFON and Lecturer of UHAMKA, and featured experts who presented their feedback towards the result of the study as well as the curriculum plan.  They were Prof. dr. Muchtarudin Mansyur, MS, SpOK, PhD from Universitas Indonesia; Dr. Meliyanti, S.Kom, M.Si from Directorate General of Teachers, Education Personnel, and Teacher Education, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education; Dr. Tresye Widiastuty Paidi, M.K.M, Directorate of Labour Inspectorate and Occupational Health and Safety Examiners, Ministry of Manpower; Dr. R. Giri Wurjandaru, Directorate of Health Promotion and Community Empowerment, Ministry of Health; and Dr. Gufron Amirullah, M.Pd, Primary and Secondary Education Council of Muhammadiyah Central Leadership. The study, conducted in 2024, involved 611 educators from schools in Jakarta, Bogor, and Depok.

The findings revealed that many teachers and education personnel in these regions experience nutritional and health issues such as obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and undiagnosed hypertension. A lack of awareness regarding nutritional status and healthy lifestyles was identified as a key factor contributing to these conditions. Consequently, the NGTW program was designed to address these challenges through a three-phased approach program, comprising initiation, strengthening, and institutionalization stages.

Discussions led to several key agreements, including the necessity of refining the program framework and the training curriculum to align with the current institutional set up and field challenges. Additionally, the criteria for pilot schools were established as models for program implementation, alongside commitments from various stakeholders to support the NGTW training trial scheduled for 2025.

Through this initiative, SEAMEO RECFON aims to enhance cross-sectoral collaboration in fostering a healthier working environment for educators. Looking ahead, the NGTW program is expected to be expanded to various regions across Indonesia, ultimately improving workers’ well-being and supporting the achievement of quality education.