On 24 August Riga City Council approved the decision regarding changes to the financing of catering services for pupils of education facilities, also providing support to multiple social groups, as confirmed by Riga City Council Communication Office.
It is planned that in the first school month – September – pupils will receive free lunches financed from the state and municipal budgets to help reduce pressure on parents, education facilities and catering service providers.
In October, however, it is planned to introduce parental co-payment.
The payment will be processed by catering companies that provide catering services at municipal education facilities.
Lunches for 1st-4th graders will remain fully financed from the state and municipal budgets.
Additionally it is planned for municipal budgets to fully cover catering costs for students whose families are considered poor or low-income, as well as orphans, invalids and children whose parents do not take care of them.
As reported by Riga City Council, if a pupil’s catering services are fully covered from the state or municipal budget funds, parents or persons responsible for pupils’ care, or adult student will not have to submit an application or provide additional documents to the education facility or sign any contracts regarding the coverage of catering costs.
If it is decided that a student’s catering service will be covered from the municipal budget only partially, then to receive co-financing, parents or adult students and catering service provider will have to submit a contract to cover catering costs.
Students who do not have a social status, municipal administration will provide co-financing of catering services.
The co-payment from parents will be EUR 1.15 in schools (one meal – lunch) and EUR 2 in pre-school facilities (three meals – breakfast, dinner, lunch) per day.
To receive co-financing from municipal budget, parents, adult students have to sign a contract with school catering service provider within ten days after the start of education in September.
According to Riga City Council, to ensure high quality and filling catering services and their uninterrupted provision at municipal education facilities despite growing food product prices and other related costs, it is necessary for the capital city to increase catering prices.