14:56, 27 февраля 2026, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Anastasia BENGARD
In Kyrgyzstan, about 92 percent of schools offer hot meals. Maria Kushubakova, a sanitary doctor at the Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance, reported on Birinchi Radio.
According to her, in 2005, only 10 percent of schools nationwide offered meals.
«At that time, a law on school meals was implemented by presidential decree. In 2013, the World Food Program and the Russian Federation joined the project. In schools that offer hot meals, the menu includes porridge twice a week and soup and salad three times a week. Some schools without running water have a lighter menu: porridge two or three times a week, buns and a dried fruit drink on the other days. Previously, there was a glass of milk and a bun, but since many children don’t like milk, we gradually switched to the dried fruit drink,» Maria Kushubakova said.
She added that the allocated funds—14 soms per child—are not enough for adequate nutrition, but some schools receive parental contributions and donor support.
It was previously reported that in Kyrgyzstan, 14 soms are allocated per day for meals per primary school student. With additional funding from municipal budgets, the amount reaches 22 soms in Bishkek and 15 soms in Osh.