The Left Together party plans to introduce a bill guaranteeing free meals for all schoolchildren, regardless of family income.
Project submission and estimated costs
Marcelina Zawisza, leader of the Left Together parliamentary group, announced on Thursday, September 25, that her party will submit a bill to the Sejm guaranteeing free meals for all schoolchildren. She stated that the project will be sent to parliamentary clubs for support, with the expectation that KO, Poland 2050, and the Left will endorse it. The bill proposes providing a hot meal to every student, regardless of family income or financial situation. A similar document was submitted to the Sejm in 2022 but was frozen in the legislative process. Estimates at the time suggested that each meal costs an average of 8 zł, meaning the program could cost the state budget approximately 6.6 billion zł annually.
Combating stigmatization and malnutrition
Currently, primary schools are required to provide one hot meal per day, but participation is voluntary and requires payment. Zawisza emphasized that this system often stigmatizes children from poorer families, as school meals are perceived as aid for the needy. She noted that the issue also affects children from financially stable families whose parents may forget to purchase meals or prepare a second breakfast. “The problem isn’t about the size of one’s wallet, and exemptions from fees don’t solve it,” she said.
Solutions known in Europe
Zawisza highlighted that free school meals are already implemented in many European countries, such as Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, with varying age restrictions. She cited research showing that childhood malnutrition negatively impacts academic performance. “Free school meals funded by the state budget are a minimum that Poland should provide to its students,” she stressed.