Toast in the school cafeteria costs 40 TL.
Students The new parent education period has begun and the parent spending period has begun. In parallel with the economic policies implemented in Turkey, high inflation, falling purchasing power and increasing financial difficulties also had their effects during the school period. Parents facing rising costs on books, clothing and stationery are now cutting back on their children’s nutrition expenses. The prices of some products determined by the Confederation of Turkish Traders and Craftsmen (TESK) for public school canteens in Istanbul reveal the financial difficulties experienced by low-income people whose children go to primary, secondary or higher school.
THEY STAY IN SCHOOL FOR 5 HOURS
TESK data shows that products sold in public school canteens also received their share of the price increase. In public school cafeterias in Istanbul, chicken sandwiches are sold for 50 TL, cheese sandwiches for 50 TL, cheddar cheese toasts for 30 TL, mixed toasts for 40 TL and hamburgers for 50 TL. While rolls and bagels sell for 12 TL in the canteen, students have to pay 85 TL for a three-course dish of the day and 95 TL for a four-course dish of the day. The daily cost of the canteen for a student who studies in a public school and spends an average of 5 hours a day was at least 27 lira. The cost in question includes only bagels, ayran and water. The price of the daily menu, which includes four courses for a healthy and satisfying meal, has increased to 95 TL. If the student buys only one bottle of water with her meal, the amount she must pay reaches 100 lira. A student attending primary, middle or high school must pay at least 27 TL per day for dining costs and 100 TL if she prefers a table d’hôte meal.
Children go hungry at school
EXPERTSWhile remembering that nutrition is important for the healthy development of children, it will not be easy for parents to give students pocket money for the canteen, which costs 540 lira per month. The problem is exacerbated in metropolises like Istanbul, where rents amount to at least 10,000 Turkish lira. It does not seem possible for a minimum wage earner who works with a salary of 11,402 liras to allocate a budget for a canteen, in addition to large expenses such as service and training. It is stated that with the opening of schools, the majority of children who come to school with an empty lunch box do not have money to shop at the canteen and remain hungry at school.