Student Participation in Indonesia’s Free Meal Program: A Weberian Analysis
Abstract
The Free Nutritious Meal Program (Makan Bergizi Gratis – MBG) is a national policy in Indonesia aimed at improving students’ nutritional intake and supporting learning performance. However, the effectiveness of school feeding programs depends not only on food availability but also on how students socially interpret and respond to the initiative. This study examines students’ participation in the MBG program using the perspective of Weber’s social action theory.
This research employed a qualitative case study conducted at a public senior high school. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 students and supported by participation data from 80 students involved in the program. The sampling strategy used purposive sampling to capture diverse participation patterns. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and interpreted through Weber’s typology of social action.
The findings indicate that students’ participation is influenced by several factors, including embarrassment when consuming the packaged meals (omprengan), time constraints due to school activities, lack of interest in the menu, parental restrictions, bringing food from home, and the preference to purchase food from school canteens. These responses reflect different forms of social action: instrumentally rational, value-rational, affective, and traditional. The study highlights that the success of school feeding policies depends not only on nutritional provision but also on the social meanings attached to them by students
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