School Canteen Operators Are Urging For More Subsidies To Keep Students' Meals Affordable
The operators are asking the government for further subsidies on ingredients and rent to keep providing nutritious meals.
By Nurul Qistina — 10 Jan 2023, 01:54 PM
School canteen operators are urging the government to let them buy cooking ingredients at further subsidised rates to maintain affordably-priced meals for students
According to The Star, Malaysian School Canteen Operators Association secretary Siti Normah Md Desa suggested that canteen operators should be allowed to buy subsidised cooking oil, which is currently only sold for domestic use.
"We are serving schoolchildren who mostly can't afford expensive meals. Perhaps we should be allowed access to some vital ingredients at subsidised rates," said Normah.
Malaysian School Canteen Operators Association secretary Siti Normah Md Desa.
Image via Amirul Shaufiq/Malaysia GazetteNormah also asked for a better rental system for school canteen operators to keep their operating costs low
She said canteen operators currently cannot adjust food and drink prices on their own as agreed upon their two-year-long tender contracts.
Due to this, many operators that submitted their tenders in 2021 for the 2022 school year have lost a lot of money amidst the ongoing price hike of ingredients.
Subsequently, more than 40% of the association's 10,200 members nationwide have chosen not to continue with their operations at the end of their contracts because of the losses.
"Some even resorted to hiring a 'caretaker' operator while waiting for their contracts to expire," she added.
She also said only new operators would have their tenders factoring in the higher costs and be able to adjust their prices
"Operators on previous tender contracts are still selling at the old prices," she said.
However, she added that canteen food in schools nationwide was still relatively cheap and affordable.
"Pocket money of RM4 is enough for fried rice with a fried egg and a glass of water at most school canteens."
