The Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced a 50% reduction in rental fees for school and educational institution canteens for a period of six months as part of efforts to help operators manage rising costs and maintain affordable food prices for students and staff.
The ministry said the initiative is aimed at supporting canteen operators in keeping meal prices reasonable while ensuring food quality remains at an acceptable standard across schools nationwide. It added that the measure comes in response to ongoing cost of living pressures linked to global supply chain disruptions.
According to the ministry, the temporary rental reduction is intended to ease financial burdens faced by operators, allowing them greater flexibility to sustain operations without passing excessive costs onto school communities.
The policy forms part of broader efforts to stabilise essential services within the education sector while addressing affordability concerns affecting households. MOE said it remains committed to ensuring that students continue to have access to nutritious and reasonably priced meals throughout the school day.
The six-month relief period is expected to provide short-term support to canteen operators while longer-term measures are considered to strengthen food service sustainability within educational institutions.
