More than it might seem and the International School Nutrition Day is a good reason to remind us all.
In many countries, this day provides a reason to talk about food culture, children’s health, and the role of the educational environment in shaping habits. For Ukraine, it is an opportunity to highlight a big reform that began five years ago and has already expanded far beyond food and school menus.
Integrity has become an “ingredient” in school lunches. In May 2024, the EUACI, together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the School Nutrition Reform Team, launched a pilot project to minimize corruption risks in the use of state subventions for modernizing school canteens. The implemented model covers the full project cycle – from analyzing project documentation and public procurement to remote monitoring of construction works.
Our results over the past two years:
- 355 canteen modernization projects were analyzed.
- Over UAH 320 million in unjustified costs identified at the selection stage.
- These savings allowed for the modernization of canteens in 36 additional schools.
What’s next?
In 2026–2027, we plan to deepen our cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science. A new priority will be the implementation of an IT tool for the systematic monitoring of food prices and catering service costs in schools.
School nutrition is a massive public procurement market at the local community level. Every hryvnia spent inefficiently means missed vitamins or outdated equipment. Because when systems are transparent and accountable, children receive what they truly deserve: safe, nutritious meals at school.
Integrity, after all, is also part of the recipe.
