SCHOOL canteen operators will not have to pay rent for three months starting January, the Education Ministry said, amid complaint of spiralling food prices for schoolchildren.

“This initiative is in line with the complaints of canteen operators and four tenants of (school) premises or spaces (managed by the government) whose incomes are affected by the increase in the prices of goods and ingredients.

“The ministry believes this can help canteen operators and tenants re-organise their business strategies to generate (better) income,” it said in a statement,

It was reported that the prices of food in school canteens have increased by up to 50% in the new school session because of the prices of ingredients have gone up.

The Malaysian School Canteen Operators Association has said that an inadequate supply of ingredients such as eggs, sugar and cooking oil has affected canteen operations.

Its president, Khairuddin Hamzah, who runs a school canteen in Semenyih, said the prices of roti canai, fried chicken and nasi lemak have gone up.

He said roti canai is sold at RM1.50 compared with RM1 last year while fried chicken now costs RM1.50 and nasi lemak, RM2, both of which have increased of 50 sen.

The ministry today assured the stakeholders that the government is closely watching the situation to  ensure that food and drink remain affordable in school.

“School administrators, through the student affairs committee, constantly monitor and hold discussions with canteen operators to ensure that their services comply with the canteen contract and management handbook, including on the type and the prices of food sold.

“it is the responsibility of the headmaster and the school canteen committee to ensure that canteen operators sell food and drink items according to the list,” it said.

It said it is the responsibility of canteen operators to sell food and drinks at reasonable prices. – January 7, 2023.