Government will allocate 200 million lei to modernize the infrastructure of school canteens in order to provide free meals to all pupils from September 1
Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun announced this at a news conference on Tuesday, noting that the allocated funds may be used to modernize the canteen infrastructure, including the renovation of dining halls, installation of ventilation systems and ensuring accessibility for pupils with disabilities. At the same time, the funds will be used to purchase cutlery, furniture and, if necessary, professional food preparation and serving equipment. Some institutions with large student populations will also be able to invest in infrastructure upgrades. “This is a significant investment in school canteen infrastructure. We want every pupil, whether they study in a small village or a big city, to have the opportunity to eat in decent conditions. This measure will ensure a better chance of success, as well as more school attendance,” Dan Perciun said. According to him, the Chisinau municipality has allocated 100 million lei, which will go to 110 institutions, of which 107 are subordinated to the Chisinau Municipal Council and 3 institutions are directly subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Research. Each institution was allocated an initial fixed amount of 200 thousand lei, to which was added a variable part, calculated according to the number of pupils in grades V-IX. Thus, the allocated amounts vary from 241,500 lei for institutions with a small number of pupils to 2,304,100 lei for the largest institutions, which will allow feeding more than 1000 pupils additionally. According to the data of the Information System for Education Management (SIME), 42,830 pupils study in secondary schools in Chisinau, and 282 pupils in 3 institutions subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Research. Another 100 million lei were distributed among 901 educational institutions outside Chisinau. The calculation formula was similar, but with a smaller fixed amount - 20 thousand lei per institution - to which was added a supplement of 713.49 lei for each pupil in grades V-IX. In total, according to SIME data, 114,900 pupils of this category are registered in educational institutions outside the capital. After the transfer of funds from the state budget to the district budgets, the district councils will clarify the budgets, and then the educational institutions will follow the procedures of purchasing goods and services necessary for free meals for all pupils of grades V-IX. // 15.04.2025 - InfoMarket.
