President Klaus Iohannis signed, on Monday, the decree regarding the promulgation of the Law for the approval of the Government’s Emergency Ordinance which approves the continuation of the pilot program of granting food support for preschoolers and students in 450 state pre-university education units.

In 2023, starting with the entry into force of the GEO, during the course of the 2023-2024 school year, preschoolers and students from 450 state pre-university education units were granted daily, free of charge, food support consisting of a hot meal or in a food package, if the hot meal could not be provided, within the limit of a daily value of 15 lei/beneficiary, including value added tax.

According to the normative act, the procedure for awarding contracts for the supply/service of hot meals or, as the case may be, food packages is organized at the level of each unit/administrative-territorial subdivision of the municipalities and is established according to the provisions of the law on public procurement, as amended and subsequent additions.

The executive justified the need for the normative act by the fact that school dropout and early school leaving „are determined by problems at the level of the national education system, combined with economic and social problems”.

Through this law, the Government explained, „urgent and viable measures are implemented to support public policies in the field of education to reduce school dropouts and ensure non-discriminatory access to education”.

AGERPRES