Around 2,000 fall ill in Indonesia after eating free school meals

Around 2,000 students and teachers across Indonesia have fallen ill with food poisoning over the past three days linked to the government's free school meals programme.

In the latest case, 777 people became unwell after consuming the food at a high school in Rembang, Central Java, the institution's headteacher said.

The meals were provided through a multibillion-dollar scheme that is one of President Prabowo Subianto's signature policies, aiming to improve nutrition for Indonesia's schoolchildren.

But, as well as being the suspected source of a string of mass food poisonings, the programme has been dogged by allegations of corruption and criticism of its cost.

A total of 752 students and 25 teachers experienced symptoms of food poisoning after eating meals provided through the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) programme at the high school in Lasem on Wednesday lunchtime.

"They had diarrhoea and took turns using the toilet," headteacher Juhartutik told BBC News Indonesia. "There are 40 toilets in total, so they can't accommodate everyone."

The school has since sent nearly 1,200 pupils and 95 members of staff home, while several were taken to hospital.

Juhartutik said the government would cover any medical costs and that the local food distributor had come to the school to "take responsibility".