Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko promised that starting in 2026, school meals will be free for all students in grades 1 to 11. She made this announcement on August 21 during the "August 2025" educational conference.
According to the Prime Minister, to implement this initiative, it is necessary not only to provide funding, but also to ensure the infrastructural readiness of schools in cities throughout Ukraine, not limited to frontline areas. The Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance have been appointed responsible for the implementation of the task.
Currently, free meals have been introduced since September 2025 for primary school students in all regions and for students in grades 5–11 in schools in frontline communities. For these purposes, the Cabinet of Ministers has reallocated UAH 779.8 million from the state budget.
However, funding for the full implementation of free meals for all schoolchildren has not yet been provided for 2026, which calls into question the timely implementation of the promise.
