As the inflation problem becomes a deepening crisis, those who are most affected by this situation are our children, who are deprived of the food they need in their developmental age.
According to TURKSTAT data, between 2019 and 2022, households' only food expenditures increased by 70 percent, while families either cut down on meals or started not to take certain nutrients into their homes.
Examining the "Children and School Meal Programs" report as Milli Gazete, "Why should children be given food in schools?" We have provided the answer to the question.
Ministry of National Education should start school meals program urgently
Turkey is the country with the highest food inflation after Zimbabwe, Lebanon and Venezuela, respectively. In our country, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach adequate and healthy food, unfortunately, our children are the most affected by this situation.
Attention was also drawn to the issue in the report "The First to Rescue in a Food Crisis: Children and School Meal Programs", which is one of the reports published by the Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) with the title "A Glance at the Urban Agenda".
While the situation was summarized on the basis of the data in the report published by IPA, it was pointed out that the Ministry of National Education should urgently initiate the school meal program against inflation.
Children are most affected by the damage caused by inflation.
While emphasizing that children are the people most affected by the food crisis caused by inflation, the study of "Eğitim-Sen" Educators union also stated that "many students go to school without breakfast in Turkey, and many students complete the day without eating at school and return home".
According to a study conducted by "Eğitim-Sen" this year, only 10 percent of students can drink regular milk, while only 12.5 percent eat eggs and 25 percent of students do not have breakfast. According to the report prepared by a private research company in Istanbul from the data of children aged 6-19 years registered in a family medicine clinic in Gaziosmanpaşa, 76.6 percent of the children were diagnosed with anemia.
76.6 PERCENT OF CHILDREN HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ANEMIA
In the report "The First to be Rescued in the Food Crisis: Children and School Lunch Programs" shared by IPA, it was pointed out that inflation has now become a devastating disaster.
While emphasizing that children are the most affected group in this bad situation caused by inflation, "Eğitim-Sen" also stated that "Many students go to school without breakfast in Turkey, and many students complete the day without eating at school and return home".
According to a study conducted by "Eğitim-Sen" this year, only 10 percent of students can drink regular milk, while only 12.5 percent eat eggs and 25 percent of students do not have breakfast.
According to the report prepared from the data of a private research company in Istanbul, 6-19 years old children registered in a family medicine clinic in Gaziosmanpaşa, 76.6 percent of the children were diagnosed with anemia. This statistic, which most clearly expresses the impact of malnutrition on children's health, reveals the devastating effect of inflation.
“WE ARE WATCHING A LANDSCAPE WHERE THE NUTRITION PROBLEM HAS BECOME CHRONIC”
In the IPA report, which summarizes the situation of children who are most affected in terms of accessing healthy food, it is noted that the solution to the issue passes through the central government. In the proposal, which was emphasized as an 'Immediate Solution', it was stated that the Ministry of National Education (MEB) should initiate a 'Meal Program in Schools' (OYP) throughout Turkey.
Here, it was emphasized that the MEB should act in coordination with the provincial and district municipalities throughout the country and that children should not be deprived of the nutrients they need in their developmental age. The IPA report is concluded in the conclusion part as follows;
“As in the case of Turkey, we are witnessing a situation where one of the most basic public services cannot be provided and the problem of nutrition becomes chronic.”