Odesa City Council Approves Meal Price Hikes for Students Starting 2025

The Executive Committee of the Odesa City Council has approved a draft decision to change the cost of meals for students in the city's educational institutions.

This was discussed at a meeting of the executive committee on March 27.

The changes will affect all categories of children - from preschoolers to middle and high school students. The increase will take place in two stages: the first - from January 1, 2025, and the second - from May 1, 2025.

According to the explanatory note, the cost of meals will increase for kindergarten and primary school students. For children aged 1 to 4 years, it will be UAH 61.66 per day starting in January and UAH 80.97 starting in May, and for children aged 4 to 7 years - UAH 80.76 and UAH 102.58, respectively. In sanatoriums for children with early manifestations of tuberculosis, meals will rise to UAH 130.59 for the youngest and UAH 166.66 for the oldest.

Students in grades 1-4 of general secondary education institutions will continue to receive breakfast for UAH 75 and lunch for UAH 86.50. For children who need gluten-free and lactose-free meals, the cost will remain at UAH 125 per day.

For boarding students of the Olympian lyceum, meals will rise in price: for children aged 6-11 years - up to UAH 214.74, 11-14 years - up to UAH 243.25, 14-18 years - up to UAH 274.60. In Odesa lyceum with military and physical training, the cost of meals will increase from UAH 198 to UAH 326.68.

Reimbursement from the city budget is provided for certain categories of children, including children from low-income families, orphans, children with disabilities and those with the status of victims of military operations.

The final decision on changes in the cost of meals will be made by the deputies during the next session of the Odesa City Council.

Intent wrote that the monopoly enterprise Fabryka Smaku continues to receive contracts for catering in schools in Odesa and the region without auctions. Two new tenders have recently been completed in the Prozorro system, where the company was the only participant and winner.

Starting in September 2025, not only primary schools but also all students in grades 5-11 in the frontline and border regions will receive free meals.

Ірина Глухова