Preschool children are supported with lunch money equal to 10% of the basic salary/child/month.

The above content has just been stipulated in Decree No. 6/2018/ND-CP of the Government.

Meals of students at Ha Huy Tap Kindergarten, Vinh city. Photo: Song Hoang

According to the provisions of Decree No. 6/2018/ND-CP, preschool-age children (excluding children of very small ethnic minorities as prescribed in Decree No. 57/2017/ND-CP dated May 9, 2017 of the Government) studying in preschool classes in preschool education establishments that ensure one of the following conditions shall receive State lunch support:

1- Have parents or have a father or mother or have a caregiver for children or children permanently residing in communes or villages with special difficulties in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, communes with special difficulties in coastal areas and islands according to regulations of the Prime Minister.

2- There is no source of support as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 5 of Decree No. 136/2013/ND-CP dated October 21, 2013 of the Government regulating social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries.

3- Being a member of a family that is poor or near-poor according to regulations of the Prime Minister.

Support payment method

The Decree stipulates that lunch support payments are made twice during the school year: The first payment covers 4 months in October or November each year; the second payment covers 5 months in February or March each year.

Based on the actual management and organization of school lunch, the leaders of the preschool education facility agree with the parents' representative committee to choose one of the two following lunch support payment methods:

Method 1- Preschools retain funding to organize lunch for children (preschools are encouraged to organize cooking for children).

Method 2- Direct cash payments to parents or child caretakers as prescribed.

The Decree clearly states that in case parents or caregivers have not received lunch support funds within the prescribed time limit, they will be entitled to receive back payments in the next payment period.

In case a child transfers to another school, the preschool is responsible for returning the lunch support application to the parents or caregivers of the child. The preschool where the child transfers to is responsible for reporting to the Department of Education and Training to submit to the Chairman of the District People's Committee to issue a decision to transfer funds or provide additional funds so that the preschool where the child transfers to can pay for lunch support according to regulations.

In case children drop out of school, the preschool is responsible for notifying the Department of Education and Training to report to the District People's Committee to stop paying the policy.