On the morning of July 10, the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City People's Council held a meeting to inform about the regular mid-year meeting in 2026.
At the meeting, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters asked questions related to the plan to study expanding the policy of supporting semi-boarding meals for preschool students, secondary and high school students in the city.
Answering reporters' questions, Ms. Bach Lien Huong - Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee, Hanoi People's Council - said that the State and the city always pay attention to education in general as well as comprehensive care for the development of children in schools. In which, the policy of supporting semi-boarding meals is always concerned and focused on by Hanoi City.
In 2025, Hanoi City issued Resolution No. 18/2025/NQ-HĐND on supporting semi-boarding meals for elementary school students in Hanoi.
At this session (from July 14-16), the City People's Committee will submit to the City People's Council on continuing to support semi-boarding meals for elementary school students in Hanoi City with groups of subjects that have been implemented in Resolution No. 18/2025/NQ-HĐND, but with increased meal allowances.
At yesterday's thẩm tra session, the Culture and Social Affairs Committee basically agreed and agreed with the proposal of the City People's Committee on this content" - Ms. Huong informed.
Regarding the proposal to expand semi-boarding meal support for other target groups (preschool children, secondary and high school students), the Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee said that, on the basis of ensuring resource balance, the city will continue to study expanding target groups.
Currently, the city spends about 3,600 billion VND/year to support lunches for elementary school students.
According to Ms. Huong, just expanding one more group of subjects or increasing the support level by 1,000-2,000 VND, the city will have to spend thousands of billions of VND more each year. According to the expected increase in support from Resolution No. 18 to the resolution submitted at this session, Hanoi will spend an additional 1,000-1,200 billion VND each year.
It is expected that in the period 2026-2030, Hanoi City will spend about 18,000 billion VND on this policy.
The Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee said that the city will continue to study to expand policies based on resource balance.
According to the submission of the Hanoi People's Committee, two groups of elementary school students are proposed to be supported with semi-boarding meals with specific levels:
Group 1: For students who are children of ethnic minority areas, mountainous areas and sandbanks in the Red River; students from poor households, near-poor households; disabled students; students who are orphaned of both parents, abandoned, without a source of support; students who are subject to social protection according to the provisions of law; students who are children of people with meritorious services to the revolution, the support level is 40,000 VND/student/day.
Group 2: For students in the remaining areas, the support level is 28,000 VND/student/day.
In case parents, students and the school agree on a higher meal allowance than the state support level, parents will pay an additional difference (ensuring a minimum meal allowance of 40,000 VND/student/day).
The expected support period is from the 2026-2027 school year (according to the actual number of eating days, not exceeding 9 months/school year).
Previously, at a working session with the Hanoi Party Committee on July 8, General Secretary and President To Lam directed Hanoi to effectively implement policies to support semi-boarding meals, ensure school safety, improve teaching quality, gradually build digital schools and pay more attention to education for children in difficult circumstances.
