Cyprus is an island-state in the north-eastern end of the East Mediterranean area, the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 2004 and with the EU’s help, it provides school meals for children affected by poverty.

Equality Through Food

According to the 2024 report, Cyprus links the constitutional right to equal education opportunities for every child with food inequality. Minimum one subsidized meal per day is a guarantee under the Declaration Combating Child Poverty by Leaving No Child Behind, which the country signed. The country recognizes a meal as a pillar of equality and inclusion for pupils in need.

The report states: “In 2021, only 0.6% of children under 16 who were at ‘Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion’ experienced deprivation due to household financial difficulties in having one meal a day of meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian equivalent meal.” It may seem that child poverty in Cyprus is not a significant problem; however, it still affects the quality of life and education for some students.

Free school meals help bridge the gap and consequently eradicate the problem of food inequality at school and child poverty in Cyprus in this particular aspect.

Free Breakfast Program

The “Providing Free Breakfast to Pupils in Need” program started in 2013. It is currently implemented by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth as part of the European Union’s THALEIA 2021-2027 project, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus, which covers 90% of the costs.

Its goal is to support families at risk of poverty and exclusion and to ensure equal educational opportunities for all children, as well as provide them with adequate nutrition and social support.

Pupils in need are children from low-income families. The program provides free breakfast on every school day for the duration of the school year in public schools at all levels of education. In the school year 2022-2023 there were 14,502 pupils who benefited from the program.

Extending the Support

The government plans to extend the program of free meals for pupils starting in April 2026 to further address child poverty in Cyprus. The scheme is to create free breakfast clubs in primary schools for every student. Currently, 750 schools participate in the meal clubs, and an additional 2000 plan to enroll next year.

The investment in the program is estimated at £80 million. Its goal is to support parents and children and to ensure that every pupil has an equal start to the school day, therefore an equal chance to participate in education.

– Patrycja Pietrzak

Patrycja is based in Cyprus and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr