Pingtung County is fully subsidizing healthy school lunches for all grade-school students starting next academic year, investing NT$820 million (US$25.98 million) annually and benefiting about 50,000 students, Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi (周春米) said today.
The policy is to cover all students in elementary, middle and high schools in the county, Chou told a news conference.
Having a healthy lunch is not just about being full, but is an important foundation for children’s health, learning and development, Chou said.
Photo: Taipei Times
The policy would not impact other education funds, including renovations for old school buildings, playground, toilets and sports facilities, she said.
This was a difficult decision, especially considering that Pingtung County faces budget challenges after recent revisions to the fiscal planning act, Chou said.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) previously said that six municipalities may have to take on debt, including Pingtung, which is a reality the county government cannot avoid, she said.
After repeated deliberations, the county decided to prioritize children’s health and rights by fully subsidizing healthy school lunches, along with other counties and cities, Chou said.
The team was also asked to develop supporting measures to ensure quality and integrate food and agricultural education, she said.
The county would respect students’ feedback and continue to promote quality lunches and provide fresh milk for students, Chou added.
It would also review school lunch procurements, giving priority to locally grown ingredients and supporting local agriculture, while strengthening verification of ingredient sources, production management and nutritional oversight, she said.
Currently, Taoyuan as well as Hsinchu, Changhua, Nantou, Yilan, Hualien, Penghu, Kinmen and Lienchiang counties all provide free school lunches.
Taitung County is planning to provide free lunches starting in the second semester of this academic year.
In addition to Pingtung County, Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung and Hsinchu, as well as Miaoli and Yunlin counties, are to provide free school lunches starting next academic year.
New Taipei City as well as Chiayi city and county still require students to pay out of pocket for lunch.
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