According to a note sent to the newsrooms, in a meeting of the municipal executive, the municipality approved “the tender for the contracting of school meals, in the amount of 2.5 million Euros, for students” from the 5th to the 12th year with the favourable votes of the PS, BE, PSD and CDS-PP and the abstention of the PCP.

Emphasising that “there are over 36 thousand children and young people covered”, the office of the councillor for Education, Manuel Grilo (BE), highlights that the measure contrasts with what “happens in schools” under the tutelage of the State, in which students “from level B pay 50 percent of the meal value ”.

“To put this investment into practice, the project team for the Quality of School Meals will guarantee the contracting of the supply of these meals in the coming weeks”, explains the municipality, adding that this “team created by the Education and Social Rights department has already introduced several improvements in the school meals system of the 1st cycle”, namely the end of the use of disposable plastic and the local and daily cooking.

The Lisbon City Council has not yet assumed responsibility for the 2nd and 3rd cycle and secondary schools, but estimates that from September onwards they will already have the skills related to the students' meals, a source from the office of the councilman of BE, a party that has an agreement of the municipality's governance with the PS, told Lusa. “In Lisbon, to respond to the crisis, no needy student will pay for his meal. By reducing inequalities, the public school fulfils its project”, the statement also highlights.