Jakarta, 23 August 2026 – SEAMEO RECFON (Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition) marked the 10th anniversary of its flagship programme, Nutrition Goes to School (NGTS), also known as Gizi untuk Prestasi, with a celebration held at Plaza Insan Berprestasi, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), Jakarta. Carrying the theme “1 Decade NGTS: Shaping an AWESOME Generation (Active, Well-nourished, and Smart of Me) from Indonesia to Southeast Asia,” the hybrid event brought together schools, government institutions, partners, and stakeholders to reflect on a decade of school-based nutrition promotion and look ahead to the programme’s future across Southeast Asia.
Launched in 2016, NGTS has grown into a multisectoral initiative that promotes nutrition education and healthy lifestyles through the school environment. To date, the programme has trained more than 3,500 teachers and education personnel from over 2,400 schools, supported 279 schools and madrasahs across Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and encouraged schools to integrate balanced nutrition into their curriculum and daily culture. Its activities include nutrition education, healthy school canteens, school gardens, and nutrition entrepreneurship. Reflecting on the programme’s journey, Prof. Dr. dr. Rini Sekartini, Sp.A(K), Director of SEAMEO RECFON, emphasized that NGTS was founded on a simple principle: children need good health and adequate nutrition to learn, grow, and reach their potential.
“When the programme was developed in 2016, we started from a simple belief: children cannot learn optimally if their health and nutrition do not support them. Nutrition is not only for the present; it is an investment in the future.”
The anniversary celebration brought this vision to life through a series of educational and interactive activities. The programme opened with the “Healthy Mind, Healthy Eating, Self-Love: Seni Menutrisi Diri di Era Digital” talkshow, which explored the connection between mental well-being, eating habits, self-care, and the challenges young people face in the digital era. The discussion continued through the “Bekalku” practical session, where students Muhamad Athalla Arif Yusuf from SMP Muhammadiyah 36 Jakarta and Sena Yasifa Pratiwi from SMK Wikrama Bogor shared their experiences with school lunches and everyday eating habits.
The celebration also encouraged participants to put healthy living into action through a flashmob and Senam Anak Indonesia Hebat. A special angklung performance by students with special needs from SLB Negeri Cicendo, West Java, added an important message of inclusion, highlighting that building an AWESOME generation requires opportunities for every child to participate and contribute. Another key highlight was the “Sekolah/Madrasah Berbagi” Panel Discussion, which brought together school representatives from Indonesia, Laos, and Malaysia to share experiences and innovations in implementing school-based nutrition initiatives. The discussion demonstrated how NGTS can be adapted to different contexts, with schools developing practices ranging from school gardens and nutrition education to healthy canteens.
The “10 Years NGTS Showcase” further highlighted these achievements by featuring eight NGTS schools from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Laos. Through the showcase and interactive Stamp Rally, visitors explored how nutrition can become part of school culture and everyday learning. The anniversary also reinforced the importance of collaboration between nutrition and education. Representing Kemendikdasmen, Tatang Muttaqin, Ph.D., Director General of Secondary and Special Education, emphasized that nutritious food at school should go hand in hand with nutrition education and the development of sustainable healthy habits.
“Schools are not merely places where programmes are implemented. Schools themselves are agents of change.”
The regional dimension of NGTS was also highlighted through a message from John Arnold Sasi Siena, Deputy Director (Programme & Development), SEAMEO Secretariat. He recognized NGTS’s contribution to developing active, well-nourished, and smart students while strengthening collaboration among education ministries, schools, and partners across Southeast Asia. A symbolic ceremony marked another significant moment of the celebration, bringing together the four elements of the AWESOME vision—Active, Well-nourished, Smart of Me, and AWESOME. Involving representatives from government institutions, schools, and SEAMEO RECFON, the ceremony symbolized the collective commitment behind the programme and its next chapter.
After a decade, NGTS has grown beyond a nutrition education programme into a platform for creating healthier school environments and empowering schools as agents of change. Looking ahead, SEAMEO RECFON, together with its partners, is committed to strengthening and scaling up school-based nutrition promotion from Indonesia to the wider Southeast Asian region. The journey of NGTS continues—not only to celebrate ten years of progress, but to shape the next generation of children who are Active, Well-nourished, Smart of Me, and truly AWESOME.