Mykolaiv to receive more than ₴61 million in subventions for school meals by the end of the year

The Mykolaiv community will receive another subvention from the state for the organisation of school meals — 61.3 million hryvnias.

The decision was made by the Cabinet of Ministers on 25 September.

According to Hanna Lychko, Head of the Education Department of the Mykolaiv City Council, in a comment to NikVesti, these funds will be received in October and will fully provide meals for students by the end of the year.

Mykolaiv has already received 32.7 million hryvnias in state and international subventions. In particular, in August, the city received 25.5 million hryvnias to provide meals for pupils in grades 1-11, as well as 3.6 million hryvnias from the UN to improve the nutrition of younger pupils. Another similar subvention of 3.6 million hryvnias was received in September.

At the same time, the Education Department announced a tender for catering services in the city's schools. The expected value of the purchase is 72.8 million hryvnias. The deadline for submitting proposals is 15 October, and the auction is scheduled to take place on the same day.

In particular, meals are provided for children:

• 6-11 years old who study in the first and second shifts;
• 10-11 years old who study in two shifts;
• 11-14 years old who study in two shifts;
• 14-18 years old who study in two shifts;
• with visual impairment from 6 to 11 years old;
• visually impaired from 11 to 14 years old;
• visually impaired from 14 to 18 years old.

We are talking about meals in 53 schools.

According to Hanna Lychko, 4,819 children have refused school meals so far, but the funding makes it possible to provide everyone with quality and stable meals.

As you know, since the beginning of September, schools in Mykolaiv and other frontline regions have been providing free meals to pupils in grades 1-11. In Mykolaiv, the feeding of schoolchildren started on 8 September. And almost from the first day, parents have been complaining about the quality of the food their children are given, as well as violations of sanitary standards in the canteens.

As you know, about 21.5 million hryvnias is spent on free meals for schoolchildren in Mykolaiv every month.