Hanoi earmarks $115M to subsidize primary school students' lunch

Under a resolution approved Wednesday by the city People's Council, students at educational institutions in mountainous communes and islets in the Red River will receive VND30,000 per day.

Students elsewhere, in both public and private schools, will get VND20,000. If parents and schools agree on a higher meal cost than the government-subsidized amount, the difference will be covered by the students' families.

The new academic year, 2025–2026, will start on Sept. 5, and the subsidy will be based on the actual number of days meals are provided for a period not exceeding nine months.

According to the city Department of Education and Training, some 707,720 children in public schools and 60,270 in private schools will benefit from the initiative, which will cost a total of VND3 trillion ($115 million).

Data from the education sector shows that Hanoi has 778 primary schools, with 703 offering semi-boarding facilities.

Students in foreign-invested educational institutions will not receive the subsidy, with the city explaining that most of them are foreign nationals and well-off.