Kyrgyzstan to increase school meal spending from 14 to 40 soms per child

Spending on hot meals for primary school students in Kyrgyzstan is planned to increase from 14 to 40 soms per day per child. Deputy Minister of Finance Zhibek Duysheyeva announced this at a meeting of the relevant committee of Jogorku Kenesh during budget discussions for the upcoming year.

Deputies supported the funding increase but noted the need to simultaneously improve meal quality and purchase products from local farmers and domestic producers.

Deputy Minister of Education Nadira Jusupbekova reported that the Ministry of Health has already developed a new school menu. The diet includes meat, fish, vegetables, and other products from different regions of the country. A special order has been issued for procurement from local producers; the Ministry of Education, working with partners, is training schools on direct purchases from farmers.

The National School Feeding Program has been operating in Kyrgyzstan since 2006.