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Seoul Metropolitan Education Office (SMEO) said Tuesday it will proceed with its plan to provide free lunches to first to fourth graders at public elementary schools in the capital from March.
Kwak Noh-hyun, superintendent of the office, held a meeting with 18 district office chiefs Tuesday and decided to go ahead with the program.
The office plans to pay for free meals for first to third graders, while the district offices will cover the costs for fourth graders.
The cost of the meal per student is estimated at 2,457 won, up from 2,270 won in 2010, with the rise reflecting more environment-friendly ingredients, according to the education office.
Fifth to sixth graders were excluded as the budget of 116 billion won ($ 103,000) is insufficient.
``Superintendent Kwak insisted that universal welfare should be applied to younger students,’’ said an official from the office.
The budget for the program was secured after opposition Democratic Party members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council passed an ordinance despite opposition from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
Whether the free meal program will be implemented as announced remains unclear as the Ministry of Education is threatening it will cut the budget allocated to the council by 104 billion won. The ministry said that the council misused the budget meant for other projects.
