Turkish gov’t turns down proposal for free meals in schools

Turkey's ruling AKP and MHP have voted down a parliamentary motion calling for free meals to be given to students at state elementary, middle and high schools.

Duvar English

Turkey’s opposition İYİ (Good) Party has submitted a motion for free meals (breakfast and lunch) to be provided at state schools.

In their motion, İYİ Party deputies Durmuş Yılmaz and Naci Cinisli indicated that poor nutrition has been threatening children’s health and development.

“It is the social state’s responsibility that none of our children are going into class while hungry and that all of our children have the right to access healthy and free nutrition,” the motion read.

The motion recalled that there are 16 million students in elementary, middle and high schools in Turkey and read that the project would require an allocation of 61.1 billion liras from the 2023 budget.

In a message shared on social media, the İYİ Party announced that the project was turned down by the votes of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Topics Turkey AKP İYİ Party free means students