The launch of free hot meals for all schoolchildren from 1 September became the main topic of the Congress hearings of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine, with the participation of representatives of the Lviv Regional Military Administration.
During the discussion, it was noted that the financial basis for the reform has already been provided for by the Government: 14.4 billion UAH in subvention is planned for 2026 and a further 1 billion UAH for the modernisation of 73 canteen facilities.
The Head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, stressed that for the successful launch of the programme, communities need to receive clear and comprehensible rules from the state in advance so that they can accurately calculate the number of children who need to be provided with hot meals.
According to the Lviv Regional Military Administration, two possible approaches to organising catering are being considered: to keep the current sanitary standards, which provide for meals to be taken only in dining halls in accordance with the available floor space, or to officially update these standards, taking into account modern conditions.
“A successful launch of free hot meals for all schoolchildren from 1 September is possible provided that communities receive clear and comprehensible rules from the state in advance. In any case, we need clear national standards. It is precisely these that will enable communities to implement the reform to a high standard,” the Head of Lviv region noted.
The Lviv Regional Military Administration noted the constructive dialogue among the participants in the hearings, aimed at improving the conditions for organising school meals for children.