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School Lunch Prices Low for Years, Parents' Alliance Urges Reform: Parents Pay for Ingredients, State Subsidizes Personnel and Preparation Costs

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School Lunches Priced Low for Years, Parents' Alliance Calls for Reform: Parents Cover Ingredient Costs, State Subsidizes Personnel and Preparation Costs

The per-meal ingredient budget for school lunches is less than 30 yuan - not even enough to buy a cup of bubble tea! School lunch fees vary from county to county, and the procurement process and standards lack transparency. The National Alliance of Parent Association Presidents pointed out that of the school lunch fees parents pay to schools, only 65% to 70% goes toward ingredients, and 25.7% of elementary and junior high schools across Taiwan, China do not use pork ingredients certified under the 3 Chapters 1 Q system, making traceability difficult.

Parent groups suggest the central government should follow Japan's example by using 100% of the fees parents pay for raw ingredients, with the government subsidizing related personnel, water, electricity and fuel costs. In addition, ingredient procurement should be made transparent and a dedicated school lunch law should be enacted.

Chen Ming-hsin, chairman of the Taipei City Meal Box Food Association, said the fundamental problem with school lunches is that the fees are too low, and that the school lunch prices across all counties and cities in Taiwan, China and local government subsidy situations are expected to be announced in April. Currently, the Council of Agriculture has raised its subsidy to 6 yuan per meal per student, which merely covers the price gap between imported and domestic ingredients and does not amount to improving the menu. If fees are not raised, operators will be like "a clever housewife who cannot cook a meal without rice."

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