Economy

Infrastructure challenge: how will the state provide free meals for 3.8 million schoolchildren?

The Ukrainian government plans to implement a large-scale reform that provides free school meals for all students from grades 1 to 11. This is reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

The ministry emphasizes that this decision is not only social but also strategic in nature – it is intended to reduce inequality between different categories of children, improve the health of schoolchildren and encourage attendance at educational institutions.

What will change

Previously, only primary school students, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, orphans and other privileged categories received free meals, but the new initiative applies to the entire student population. This means that no child will be left without access to a daily hot lunch at school, regardless of their family’s social status.

“One of the tasks of the Ministry is to create a safe educational environment in educational institutions. Thanks to the gradual expansion of the program, even more Ukrainian schoolchildren will be able to receive healthy and nutritious meals in educational institutions free of charge,” said Andriy Stashkiv, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

To implement the program, it is also necessary to solve key problems in the infrastructure of canteens and food service units in educational institutions. These include

• repair school canteens;
• modernize canteens by purchasing new equipment for preparing healthy meals
• create training programs and culinary hubs where cooks can improve their skills
• create an effective motivational model for attracting professionals to work in the field of school catering;
• strengthen control over food quality by introducing new safety and food standards.

Financing

The implementation of this reform will require significant state and local funding. It is expected that all communities will participate in the program, which, together with the central government, will provide daily meals for more than 3.8 million schoolchildren. The program will involve large investments in modernizing canteens, purchasing equipment, food, and staff salaries.

Technical readiness of schools

One of the main problems is infrastructure. Many schools, especially in rural areas, lack modern canteens, storage facilities, and cooking equipment. The reform provides for the renovation and re-equipment of such institutions, repairs and the purchase of necessary equipment.

Staffing

Another problem is the lack of qualified personnel – cooks, nutritionists, and suppliers. The government is preparing training programs to improve the skills of canteen staff and is developing new nutritional standards based on the age needs of children and recommendations from the Ministry of Health.

What the Ministry of Education expects from the reform implementation in practice

Expected results:

• reduction in childhood hunger and malnutrition;
• improved physical and cognitive development of students;
• reduced morbidity and improved academic performance;
• strengthening social cohesion, as all children in the school will have the same meals;
• reducing the burden on the family budget.

“Free meals are not only a health issue, but also a social justice issue. Thanks to the reform, students can grow and learn without worrying about basic needs, and every year it will cover more and more classes until hot meals are available to all. We are proud that even in the most difficult times, Ukraine continues to invest in the well-being and healthy future of the next generation,” explained Orest Stepaniak, Head of the School Feeding Reform Team.

It is worth noting that in the future, the Government is considering the introduction of digital nutrition accounting systems to avoid abuse and ensure transparency. It is also planned to develop an electronic menu taking into account the seasonality of products and local specifics, which will make the diet not only healthy but also attractive to children.

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