Organizing quality school meals is a key aspect of social policy. However, the quality and accessibility of school nutrition remain critical challenges in the education sector. Despite significant government funding, many students refuse free meals. This leads to inefficient use of food, often resulting in waste.
Between 2017 and 2023 government spending on food for educational institutions increased 2.5 times (from 78.3 billion to 196.6 billion tenge). In Almaty the expenditures grew fourfold (from 10.3 billion to 41 billion tenge). In Almaty Region spending tripled (from 5.3 billion to 15.5 billion tenge).
In East Kazakhstan spending has remained almost unchanged over six years, amounting to 4.5 billion tenge in 2023. This reflects population outflow and low birth rates in the region. Similar trends are observed in Akmola Region where spending rose by only 32% since 2017.
Parental spending on school meals follows a similar pattern. In Almaty Region parental costs tripled (from 4.4 billion to 12 billion tenge). In Almaty city they increased by 2.2 times (from 9.2 billion to 20.6 billion tenge). The lowest parental spending is in East Kazakhstan with only a 16% increase (from 3.1 billion to 3.5 billion tenge).
About 1.7 million students in Kazakhstan receive free meals. Of these, 82% are primary school students (over 1.4 million), while 18% (340,000 children) belong to socially vulnerable groups.
The average cost of one free school meal is 630 tenge. The highest costs are in Astana (950 tenge), Almaty (850 tenge), and Akmola Region (715 tenge). The lowest costs are in Ulytau, Almaty, and Zhambyl Regions (500 tenge per meal).
Another issue is the lack of cafeterias in some schools. Currently, 403 schools in Kazakhstan do not have dining facilities.
On November 19, the Minister of Education, Gani Beisembayev, announced plans to introduce a new school nutrition standard by September 1, 2025. This aims to improve meal quality.
Recommendations:
1. Annually index school meal costs to the official inflation rate.
2. Encourage large food retailers in each region to open online stores. This will enable state authorities to analyze real inflation and food prices.
3. Implement classroom-based meal distribution In schools lacking cafeterias using lunchboxes:
◦ For socially vulnerable students – funded by the government.
◦ For others – provided by parents.
4. Pilot buffet-style systems in selected schools, allowing students to choose their meals.
5. Educate students on food conservation. Introduce tools like Finland’s lessfoodwaste.fi calculator to raise awareness about reducing food waste.
6. Revise recipes and meal presentations. Regularly conduct tastings with parents and students to gather feedback and propose school menu improvements.
Yerlan Karimov, independent expert
