Durian. Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry is set to start developing training module on the handling of stunting issue in the country, as a complimentary effort to the existing programs.
As the ministry continues to improve relevant programs with related ministries, agencies and private sector, one of its recent plans is to develop educational and training module on stunting to be used in Family Development Sessions, which is part of the ministry’s Family of Hope Program, or PKH.
Social Minister Juliari Batubara said the module will be established very thoroughly through research and study, in order to ensure its reliability. The ministry also involves private sector in creating the module, which will mainly focus on human resource development related to stunting handling.
Batubara added that the module and training will complement the two existing programs that the government already had to support the prevention and handling of stunting in Indonesia: non-cash food assistance (BPNT) and PKH.
“These two programs already have a wide reach and millions of families as member; it has also been running well and systematically until now. Therefore, we decide to include them as part of our stunting handling (programs),” Batubara explained on Sept.8 in a statement.
The ministry’s Social Research and Counseling Education Agency, who oversees the module development process, will work with Tanoto Foundation. Subsequently, the organization will also take part on training activities.
The head of the agency Syahabuddin said the ministry also works closely with the Health Ministry, the Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM) and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in the continuous effort to combat stunting, including on the discussion about food, which is highly related in regards to the issue.
“As instructed by the minister, we will continue discussion on stunting, particularly on food – in this case, rice. And as the next step, we will carry out research on the subject,” Syahabuddin said on Sept.8.
