School Meal Prices Set to Rise: Gyeongnam Office of Education Announces 5.4% Increase for Next Year
▲ Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education
[미디어투데이=안상일 기자] Gyeongsangnam-do Superintendent of Education Park Jong-hoon and Gyeongsangnam-do Governor Park Wan-soo made a final decision at the 2024 regular meeting of the Gyeongsangnam-do Education Administration Council on the 31st to increase the unit price of school meals by 5.4% (200 won) next year and to set the school meal cost sharing ratio to 5:5 by 2026. .
On this day, the two organizations agreed to provide high-quality educational services to residents based on mutual understanding and cooperation, and to work together to develop local talent development and settlement plans.
The Gyeongsangnam-do Education Administration Council is a cooperative organization that jointly resolves pending education issues between the Office of Education and the province and provides high-quality education services without gaps to the residents of the province through cooperation and coordination of education projects promoted by each institution.
This year, a final agreement was prepared after five working-level consultations.
In order to provide high-quality school meals to children in Gyeongnam despite difficult financial conditions due to a decrease in tax revenue due to the ongoing economic downturn, the two organizations increased the unit price of school meals by 5.4% (200 won) compared to the previous year to reflect the inflation rate.
Considering the financial situations of both organizations, the sharing of school meal food costs was agreed to be 50% for the Office of Education, 20% for the province, and 30% for the city and county by 2026.
The main contents agreed upon at this regular meeting of the Gyeongsangnam-do Education Administration Council are as follows.
▲Adjustment of school meal food cost resource sharing ratio for 2025-2026 and increase in school meal food cost unit price for 2025
Due to the poor local financial conditions, the share of school meal costs in South Gyeongsang Province will be shared by the Office of Education, provinces, and cities and counties at the rate of 50%, 20%, and 30%, respectively, from 2025 to 2026.
In addition, in order to reflect the inflation rate and provide high-quality school meals, the unit price of school meals will be increased by 5.4% (200 won) in 2025 compared to 2024.
▲ Expansion of recipients of educational welfare support, including the cost of purchasing school uniforms
The Office of Education prevents blind spots in welfare by supporting the cost of purchasing school uniforms and purchasing supplies for admission to students with multiple children to students from other provinces and cities and alternative education institutions who have resident registration in Gyeongsangnam-do.
▲ Establishment of a cooperation system related to student mental health, etc.
The two organizations will strive to establish a cooperation system related to student mental health, discover joint cooperation projects to prevent student smoking, and improve standards for reduction of school sports facility usage fees to encourage residents to use sports facilities.
In addition, we also discuss the allocation of an expenditure budget for the education expenses special account of the Office of Education for the Gyeongsangnam-do general account transfer (3.6% of the ordinary provincial tax and the entire local education tax).
Gyeongsangnam-do Superintendent of Education Park Jong-hoon said, “Local education finances are difficult, but the two organizations made concessions and communicated with each other only for the sake of students and residents. We will do our best to create a better future education in Gyeongsangnam-do.”