(Muan=Yonhap News) Reporter Hyeong Min-woo = Jeonnam Province announced on the 18th that it has agreed with the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education on the cost-sharing ratio for school free meal food expenses, with local governments contributing 40% and the education office 60%.
According to the province, the School Meal Deliberation Committee recently decided that for the next year's school free meal budget of 124.1 billion won, the province and municipalities will contribute 49.6 billion won (40%), and the education office will contribute 74.5 billion won (60%).
The application period is for three years from 2026 to 2028.
Jeonnam Province and the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education had differences in the cost-sharing ratio for the free meal budget last year, but they held working-level consultations from the beginning of this year and formed a "Joint Task Force on Long-term Cost-sharing Ratio Adjustment and Other School Meal-related Issues" in May.
The Joint Task Force consists of eight members from Jeonnam Province, Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly, and school meal-related parties, and has held three meetings since June to discuss the cost-sharing ratio for free meal food expenses, the supply method for eco-friendly agricultural products, etc.
Two meetings with related experts and field officials were also held to gather opinions from schools, suppliers, and eco-friendly agricultural product production groups.
Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok said, "This agreement is a meaningful achievement that Jeonnam Province and the education office have taken another step forward for the healthy future of students," and "We will continue to work closely with the education office to further develop Jeonnam school meals."