TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) announced Tuesday (Jan. 6) that all public and private elementary and middle schools in Taipei will offer free lunches to students starting this year. The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on parents by over NT$10,000 (around US$317) annually per child in the capital city. The city government estimates a cost of NT$60 to NT$70 (around US$1.90 to US$2.22) per meal, addressing previous limitations on ingredient selection due to budget constraints.
Chiang emphasized the Taipei city government's commitment to enhancing ingredient sourcing and quality control for school meals across the capital. The mayor noted that when Taiwan's central government halted the "Fresh Milk for Every Class" program in late 2024, Taipei took the initiative to continue it independently. This year, the program will expand to "Fresh Milk 3.0," covering students from ages 2 to 15, ensuring stable, high-quality nutrition during critical developmental stages for children.
Chiang also introduced the "Three Arrows of Educational Reform," which includes reducing teaching hours for tutors and increasing their salary across elementary, middle, and high schools. The mayor explained that this change will enable teachers to spend more time observing and engaging in meaningful dialogue with students in classrooms. Chiang stated that the reforms aim to enhance administrative support in schools and increase bonuses for teachers with administrative duties, enabling them to focus on teaching.
The final reform will expand psychological counseling for teachers, increasing service locations from 5 to 12 districts and free counseling sessions from 8 to 12 times. The Senior Card, a benefits program for elderly Taipei residents, now covers outpatient registration fees at Taipei City Hospitals starting Jan. 2, with taxi point deductions increasing to 85 points in February. Monthly points will rise from 480 to 600 in July, with Chiang stressing the inclusion of senior health check-ups in the point deduction system this year to encourage regular check-ups. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.5)