Interpellation concerning the insufficient state funding of school meals and the resulting inequality (No. 797)
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-10-06 22:56
Total Speeches: 99
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 46m
AI Summaries: 99/99 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated an interpellation submitted by the Social Democrats concerning the insufficient state funding of school meals and the resulting inequality. Reili Rand, the representative of those submitting the interpellation, highlighted that the rapid rise in food prices has rendered the state support for school meals (which has remained unchanged for years) insufficient, forcing local governments (LG) either to make cuts in other sectors or to demand co-payments from parents, which deepens social inequality. Rand emphasized that school meals are an important form of social support, a guarantor of health, and a supporter of food security and the local economy.
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas responded, stressing the clear division of responsibility between the state and local governments. She explained that the school maintainer (usually the local government) is the primary bearer of school meal costs, and the state only provides support. The Minister rejected the proposal to link school meal support to inflation, citing the autonomy of local governments in organizing procurements. Kallas affirmed that, according to the assessment of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the new health requirements will not lead to a price increase. She noted that her priority during state budget negotiations was raising teachers' salaries. The Minister reiterated her preference to transfer school meal support to the revenue base of local governments to increase their autonomy. Several Riigikogu members (including Tanel Kiik, Vladimir Arhipov, Lauri Läänemets) criticized the Minister's rigid stance, arguing that the state's minimal contribution leads to a decline in the quality of school meals and a deepening of inequality across Estonia.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Reili Rand (Social Democratic Party, left), the representative of those who submitted the inquiry. She filed the interpellation, asked a clarifying question, and delivered the closing remarks during the debate.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller introduced the seventh item on the agenda, which was an interpellation submitted by Riigikogu members Reili Rand, Madis Kallas, and others regarding the insufficient state funding for school meals and the resulting inequality. He then asked Reili Rand to take the floor as the presenter.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller proceeded to the seventh item on the agenda, which was an interpellation submitted by Riigikogu member Reili Rand and others regarding the insufficient state funding for school meals and the resulting inequality. He then gave the floor to the presenter, Riigikogu member Reili Rand.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand, through an interpellation submitted by the Social Democrats to the Minister of Education and Research, raised a pressing issue concerning the long-term freeze on the state subsidy for school meals. This freeze, given the rapid increase in food prices, creates an additional burden for families, deepens social inequality, and jeopardizes both the quality of the food and the supply chain that supports domestic food security. She demanded explanations from the Minister regarding how funding will be linked to inflation and an assessment of the financial coping mechanisms of local governments.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasizes the significance of the interpellation submitted by the Social Democratic faction to the Minister of Education and Research, which addresses the long-term inadequacy of state funding for school meals. This inadequacy, amid inflation and rising food prices, exacerbates social inequality, placing families and local governments under pressure while simultaneously jeopardizing domestic food security and local supply chains. Consequently, the minister is required to provide explanations regarding the linking of funding to the price index and outline measures to rectify the situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offered his thanks and then invited Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas to the podium to answer the interpellation that had been submitted.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller thanked the previous speaker and invited the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, to respond to the submitted inquiry.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, emphasized that covering the costs of school meals is, by law, the obligation of the school maintainer (usually the local municipality), which is why the state acts only as a supporter, not the primary bearer of the costs. Furthermore, the state does not intend to link the school meal subsidy to inflation or the consumer price index, arguing that local governments must regulate costs through public procurements. The Ministry of Social Affairs also confirmed that the new health requirements will not increase the price of school food.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas provided a detailed explanation of the division of responsibility between the Estonian state and local municipalities, stressing that the school operator is the principal entity responsible for bearing the costs of school meals. Consequently, state support neither can nor should cover all actual expenses. Furthermore, she affirmed that despite inflation, the state does not plan to index the school meal subsidy to the consumer price index, and the new health standards introduced by the Ministry of Social Affairs will not result in a price increase.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller gave the floor to Tanel Kiik, noting that questions had been directed to him.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik criticizes the minister's stance that ensuring healthy and accessible school meals is primarily the task of local municipalities, and demands that the state, proceeding from the logic of educational system uniformity, ensure the availability of standardized, high-quality school meals for all children across the country to prevent growing inequality between local governments.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik expresses concern that the minister's answers give the impression that ensuring healthy and accessible school food is not a responsibility of the state. He emphasizes that, based on the logic of a unified education system, the state should ensure nutritious and standardized school meals for all children regardless of their place of residence, while also asking how the growing inequality between local governments will be avoided if state support remains at the current level.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes the principle of the separation of powers, arguing that the provision of school meals is clearly the responsibility of the local municipality, which acts as the school maintainer. Consequently, state support should be transferred directly to the revenue base of local governments. She further warns the central government against interfering with the school maintainer’s autonomy in regulating specific details, noting that the confusion of functions creates unnecessary tensions.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes the necessity of clear boundaries between the central government and local municipalities, maintaining that providing school meals is the responsibility of the school operator, and the state should not interfere by regulating menus and prices. The central government’s role is to secure national support and a societal agreement to avoid the tensions resulting from the current confusion and ensure that the principle of separation of powers is upheld.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Vladimir Arhipov were invited to speak, but the actual substance of his presentation remained unreported in the submitted text.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov criticizes the state for keeping the school lunch subsidy at one euro at a time when prices, wages, and energy costs are rising, and emphasizes that the state must significantly increase its support to assist weaker municipalities and ensure wholesome food for children.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov highlights the fact that the state subsidy for a schoolchild's lunch has remained at one euro for years, even as prices and wages have risen, and demands that the state increase the support to help less affluent local municipalities ensure quality meals for children.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas explains the rationale behind dividing responsibilities between the state and local authorities, noting that while increasing the food allowance for children is a positive step, the main priority of her negotiations was raising teachers' salaries. She emphasizes the need for clearer accountability in education and wants the state to transfer the small subsidies paid to school maintainers (such as school meal and textbook support) directly into the school maintainer's revenue base. This, she argues, would respect their autonomy and prevent the state from micromanaging their decisions.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes the clear division of responsibilities between the state and local governments, noting that while supporting children is important, the primary priority in her negotiations was raising teachers' salaries. She strongly advocates for providing education funding subsidies (such as school meals and textbooks) directly to the revenue base of the school maintainers, in order to respect their autonomy and prevent the state from steering decisions through small grants.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller passed the floor to Madis Kallas, requesting him to now approach the podium.
Madis Kallas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Madis Kallas emphasizes the importance of clarity regarding the roles of the state and local governments, but focuses instead on the question of how schools and municipalities could prioritize local food producers and organic food in procurement processes, and asks whether the Ministry of Education and Research is collaborating with the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture to address this issue.
Madis Kallas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Madis Kallas emphasizes the need for clear roles between the state and local governments, but he focuses on the question of how schools and municipalities could better involve local organic producers in school catering. He also asks whether the Ministry of Education and Research has collaborated with the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture to find a solution for prioritizing local producers in public procurements.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas concedes that there is no answer to the question since the topic has not yet reached the ministerial level. She clarifies, however, that while European Union law prohibits favoring domestic providers in internal market procurements, methods have been identified through the grants provided by the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture to support organic producers, who often turn out to be domestic due to the short supply chain requirement.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas concedes that, although European Union internal market rules prohibit favoring domestic bidders in public procurements, the issue has not yet reached her desk or the ministerial level. However, she knows that the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture has found ways to support organic producers, who tend to be domestic due to the short supply chain.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Peeter Ernits were called to speak, and he was given the floor to begin his presentation.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits deems one euro an amount that has fallen behind the times and asks the minister to present scientific research confirming the correlation between properly fed students and good academic results, stressing that this issue is more critical than the disputes between the state and local governments.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits criticizes the outdated one-euro subsidy and demands scientific data from the minister regarding the direct correlation between students' proper nutrition and better academic results, considering administrative disputes (the silos of local governments and the state) to be secondary.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes that children's improved learning and concentration abilities depend directly on sufficient sleep (8–10 hours), time spent in the fresh air, and diverse nutrition. She simultaneously warns against blue screens, which steal sleep time and shorten the attention span of the new generation.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas explains that a child's improved ability to learn and concentrate depends directly on sufficient sleep (8–10 hours), spending time in the fresh air, and having a diverse diet, stressing that school meals must also be varied; she further warns that the excessive use of blue screens at the expense of sleep is the primary reason for children's reduced attention spans.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invited Raimond Kaljulaid to deliver a presentation or take the floor.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid, starting with a humorous contrast between the Riigikogu and school life, criticizes the minister’s excessive focus on the differences in responsibility between the state and local governments regarding education issues. He emphasizes that for an Estonian parent, this administrative division is irrelevant—they simply expect the education system to be functioning properly, and constantly passing the buck of responsibility is not the correct approach.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Following the minister’s presentation, Raimond Kaljulaid expressed nostalgia for school life, referencing the tough daily routine of the Riigikogu, which is characterized by long workdays, a lack of physical activity, and poor catering.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, offered a humorously negative take on the situation, labeling it "very bad," though her smile betrayed that it was more of an ironic joke.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid criticized the presentation for placing too much emphasis on the distinctions between state and local government responsibilities in education, stressing that Estonian parents are not concerned with administrative divisions. Instead, they expect results and accountability from the government, and therefore, passing the buck is simply not the right approach.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas, speaking as a policymaker, emphasizes the need for a clear division of responsibility between the state and local government. She opposes the state's encroachment into the local government's exclusive domain and the resulting organizational confusion, arguing that the local government is the primary funder and organizer of school meals, with the state offering only financial support in this area.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, stresses the necessity of a clear division of responsibilities between the state and local municipalities. She criticized the state's encroachment upon the local government's exclusive domain, citing the organization of school meals as an example, and affirmed that local government is the principal financier of school meals. The state, she argues, should only provide support, while strictly avoiding any organizational interference.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Lauri Laats were introduced and invited to the podium to deliver their address.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats accuses the minister of being unaware of the actual situation regarding school lunches, asking when he last visited Tallinn schools and ate lunch there. He emphasized that the 1-euro subsidy amount, set in 2018, no longer allows for ensuring adequate quality due to inflation, resulting in children leaving the food uneaten. According to school principals, this means the money paid by the state is going to waste.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats is posing questions to the minister regarding the funding and quality of school lunches, stressing that due to inflation, it is impossible to guarantee the same food quality in 2025 using 2018 funding levels. Consequently, a lot of food is being wasted in schools because, according to feedback from school principals, children simply do not eat the lunch provided.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the audience and then briefly opened the floor for questions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller confined himself to a brief thank you, expressing his gratitude only at the conclusion of his speech.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats reproaches the listener for refusing to intervene in the situation, instead shifting the responsibility and the burden of additional contribution onto local municipalities when the resulting state of affairs is unsatisfactory.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats takes issue with the fact that the responsibility for resolving the unsatisfactory situation is being shifted onto local governments, demanding additional contributions from them, while the higher authority itself refuses to intervene.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller, using a brief and specific phrase, handed the floor over to the next speaker, thereby signaling the start of a new round of speeches or a new stage of debate.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas categorically rejected the claim regarding the poor quality of school meals in Tallinn, explaining that children's lack of appetite does not always reflect the quality of the food itself, but rather their attitude. She proposed serving the meals buffet-style as a solution. Furthermore, based on her recent visit in the spring of 2024, she confirmed that the school lunch provided was actually very good and the children ate it with appetite.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas categorically rejected the claim regarding the poor quality of school food in Tallinn, explaining that children's lack of appetite is often related to age-specific attitudes rather than the food itself. Based on her visit in the spring of 2024, she confirmed that the school lunch provided was very good and was eaten heartily by the children, while noting that she preferred buffet-style food distribution over pre-portioned meals.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller issued a brief and specific demand that the ongoing activity be completed or halted immediately.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas had barely begun her address directed at Lauri Laats in the spring of 2024 when an interjection rang out from the hall, which required the chairperson's intervention and the restoration of order by ringing the bell.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, only managed to mention Lauri Laats and the spring of 2024 in her address before her speech was immediately cut short by an interjection and the chairman ringing the bell.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller asked everyone to listen to the response, drawing attention to the forthcoming information.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirmed that she had already answered the question, but noted that the response had not satisfied the other party.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirmed that she had already provided the answer, but suspected that it either didn't satisfy the other party or wasn't suitable for them.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the audience or the previous speaker, and subsequently handed the floor over to Jaak Aab.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab recalls his political mentor Peeter Kreitzberg and stresses that Estonia ought to follow the lead of Finland and Sweden, where free, warm school lunches have been guaranteed by law for decades. He argues that this provision should also be legally secured for students in Estonia, while the specifics of funding should remain an agreement between the state and local municipalities.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab takes a historical look back at the idea of free school lunches, referencing his mentor Peeter Kreitzberg and pointing to Finland and Sweden as models, where a warm and healthy school lunch is secured at the statutory level. He emphasizes that although funding is a matter of agreement between the state and local authorities, this service must also be legally guaranteed for students in Estonia.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas admits that while she assumes that in Finland the local municipality, as the school operator, is responsible for the costs of free school meals—just as they are for other school expenses—she does not know the exact system in place at the legislative level. She concedes that she therefore cannot provide a comparable answer, as she lacks the necessary information to discuss the matter.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas speculates about the Finnish school operation system, assuming that most costs, including teachers' salaries and school meals, are the responsibility of the local municipality. However, she emphasizes that she is unfamiliar with comparative systems and must defer a precise answer.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to Riina Sikkut.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut referred back to a previous discussion concerning the mitigation of socio-economic inequality within the education system. She then asked the minister what specific guidelines have been issued to state schools to ensure the provision of free school meals, stressing that the state should not pass this responsibility onto local municipalities and that free, healthy food is vital for improving children's concentration and academic results.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut recalls an earlier discussion on mitigating educational inequality caused by socio-economic disparities and, rejecting the minister’s attempt to shift responsibility to local governments, demands clarification on the state’s guidance to public schools regarding the provision of free and healthy school meals, considering this a crucial lever for improving children’s attention spans and academic performance.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirmed that although a small parental contribution was introduced for school meals in state gymnasiums, this has not reduced the number of students eating. Schools have found solutions to ensure food for all pupils, meaning there is no feedback indicating that the socio-economic situation is causing inequality in the accessibility of school meals.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirmed that the minimal parental contribution required for school meals in state gymnasiums has not led to a decrease in student uptake. She added that because schools are free to cover this contribution themselves from their own budgets, there is currently no feedback suggesting that any child is going without food at school due to socio-economic reasons—a situation that must absolutely be prevented.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Anti Allas were called by name to the podium or the stage to begin their presentation.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas praises the decision on free school meals as one of the best, but highlights the fact that state revenues have grown significantly faster than those of local governments. He then asks the minister why the state, given this situation, is not increasing its own contribution to school meal financing, thereby violating the original agreement regarding the provision of free food.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas praises the decision regarding free warm school meals as one of the best national steps, but draws attention to the fact that the state’s revenues have grown significantly faster than the revenues of most local municipalities. He asks the minister why the state, despite this, is not increasing its contribution to school meal funding in order to fulfill the agreement regarding the free provision of meals for children.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas points out that although the state’s revenue base has grown faster than that of local municipalities, all of that growth has been directed toward the state’s priority—the very rapid increase in defense spending, which began due to the war in 2022, while, for example, support for school meals was last raised back in 2018.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stressed that while the state's revenue base has grown more rapidly than that of local municipalities, this growth is being channeled entirely into the very rapid increase of defense spending, which has been the nation's priority since 2022 following the start of the war.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to the next speaker, Züleyxa Izmailova.
Züleyxa Izmailova
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Züleyxa Izmailova emphasizes that free education must also require high-quality and free school meals, and she asks why children should be held responsible for the inability of local governments to ensure they receive nutritious food, especially considering Estonia's low birth rate.
Züleyxa Izmailova
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Züleyxa Izmailova believes that free and quality school meals must be included alongside free education. She sharply criticizes the situation where children suffer due to the inability of local governments to provide them with nutritious food, emphasizing that punishing children for systemic failures is particularly unacceptable given Estonia's low birth rate.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirms that children are not at fault for anything, and according to her knowledge, there is no child in Estonia who would go without a warm school meal. She explains that even if a parental contribution is requested, the school maintainer will cover that expense if the parent is unable to do so themselves, asking that she be notified if this is not the case.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stresses that children are not at fault for anything and confirms that, to her knowledge, no child in Estonia is going without a warm school lunch due to parents failing to pay their contribution, as the costs are covered by the school maintainer even in such situations. However, she urgently asks to be informed if there are any cases where a child is denied a warm meal in the school cafeteria because of an excessively high co-payment that the local municipality does not compensate.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chair Arvo Aller, Reili Rand was called to the podium to begin her presentation, so the substantive address is only just starting.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand criticizes the minister for the inflexible position that ensuring school meals is solely the responsibility of local governments, stressing that this approach deepens inequality between municipalities and leaves children's access to a meal dependent on their place of residence and their family’s economic situation. This is a matter of concern for the state, especially given that the ministry lacks any overview of the current situation.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand finds it expected that the minister would rigidly stick to the position that school meals are the responsibility of local municipalities. However, she sharply criticizes the state for lacking an overview of overall well-being, arguing that this approach deepens inequality, leaves smaller local governments struggling, and makes the accessibility of children’s meals dependent on their birthplace and their family’s financial capacity.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas categorically rejects the claims that she herself said anything of the sort from the podium, asserting that, to her knowledge, there is no situation in Estonia where children are left without school meals. She further demands specific data regarding cases where a local government has denied an application for free school meals so that these issues can be addressed.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas categorically confirms that there are no known situations in Estonia where children would miss a meal at school, but she urgently requests that she be provided with data on specific cases where a local municipality has refused to approve parents' applications for free school meals, stressing that such incidents must be addressed immediately.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller Lauri Läänemets was called to the podium to take the floor.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets is drawing attention to the critical decline in the quality of school meals due to insufficient funding, arguing that this is a widespread national problem, not merely an issue for local municipalities. As a solution, he proposes redirecting the more than 114 million euros currently spent on tax breaks intended for wealthier individuals.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets emphasizes that the quality of school meals has critically declined due to insufficient funding, and rejects the minister's stance that this is merely a problem for local municipalities, pointing out instead that it is a systemic flaw within the state. This is especially true given that the government simultaneously spends over 114 million euros annually on tax amendments that distribute money to the richest 10% of people, instead of addressing children's nutritional issues.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller confined himself to a brief procedural remark, signaling to the next speaker the start of their allocated time.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets emphasized that solving the problems in question is actually entirely possible and feasible with the existing financial resources.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets stressed that, in fact, it is possible to solve the problems at hand using the existing financial resources.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller confined himself to a brief expression of thanks when concluding his presentation.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, argues that the financial difficulties faced by local authorities (LAs) concerning costs and school upkeep are due to the unequal distribution of the revenue base between the state and the LAs. Consequently, this distribution must be quickly reassessed to ensure LAs receive autonomous funding commensurate with their obligations, thus resolving the situation where they bear extensive responsibilities but lack adequate tax revenue.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes that addressing the concerns related to the expenditures of local governments (KOV), particularly those associated with running schools, requires a review of the revenue base distribution between the state and local authorities. This is because local governments currently bear disproportionately more obligations while receiving less tax revenue. Consequently, she favors granting local authorities the autonomous right to decide on the funding necessary to cover their duties, ensuring they do not have to rely on small grants distributed by the state.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller, Helmen Kütt was called to the podium, but the submitted text contains only the introduction, not the content of her presentation.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt stresses the necessity of a fairer distribution of revenues and responsibilities between the state and local municipalities. She highlights how local governments (KOVs) are forced to use their own budgets to finance state-level tasks (such as special welfare services), and worriedly asks whether, similar to the cuts in funding for hobby education, there is a risk that the last remaining meager supports might also vanish in the future.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt emphasizes that the responsibilities and tax income between the state and local authorities should be more fairly distributed. She highlights the excessive burden placed on local governments (for instance, funding state responsibilities within special needs care) and anxiously queries whether, following the reduction in hobby education support, further cuts to the already scarce existing subsidies are also to be expected.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirms that while she supports increasing the revenue base for local governments and would happily transfer it, the priority for the current state budget was set on raising teachers' salaries. Handing over the revenue base is the subsequent step, which first necessitates creating sufficient economic growth to ensure a fair and expanding base.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas confirmed that although raising teachers’ salaries was the priority in the current state budget, she is readily prepared to increase the support funding as the next step and transfer it to the revenue base of local municipalities, emphasizing that this increase must be implemented before the transfer to ensure a fair volume.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the question period, opened the debate, and granted the representative of the questioners, Reili Rand—who was the first speaker—three additional minutes at her request.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the questioning period, opened the debate, and granted Reili Rand, the representative of the interpellators, three minutes of additional time upon her request.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand, representing the views of the Social Democrats, stressed that school meals function as a social equalizer and represent a national choice of values. She criticized the government for delegating responsibility to local municipalities, arguing that this exacerbates inequality regarding children's nutrition. She further charged that, instead of ensuring equal opportunities for children, the state plans to invest 114 million euros into supporting Estonia’s wealthiest citizens. Furthermore, she called for a reduction in the VAT on food products to boost the purchasing power of low and middle-income families, demanding that the state provide social guarantees that ensure equal conditions for all children.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand sharply criticizes the government's policy priorities, which she argues create inequality by shifting the funding of school meals onto local municipalities while simultaneously handing out 114 million euros as a gift to the wealthiest. She stresses that the state's obligation is to ensure equal conditions for all children through social guarantees, so that no child is deprived of a proper lunch due to their place of residence or their parent’s income.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller then gave the floor to Vladimir Arhipov for the next presentation.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov sharply criticizes the inadequacy of the state school meal subsidy, arguing that it fails to cover actual costs and exacerbates inequality between municipalities, where children in poorer areas are forced to accept lower quality food. He stresses that high-quality school meals are a matter of values and an integral part of education, and he calls upon the government to increase the subsidy to reflect actual costs, thereby ensuring a decent lunch for every child in Estonia, regardless of where they live.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov sharply criticized the state for its insufficient school meal subsidy, arguing that it fails to cover actual costs and thereby deepens inequality among children. He stressed that high-quality school nutrition is a matter of values and an inseparable part of education, and urged the government to increase the subsidy to reflect actual costs, ensuring that every child in Estonia receives a decent lunch regardless of their location.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the discussions on the seventh item on the agenda, asking the Minister for the final word, and subsequently announced that the item had been adopted.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the discussions, having received confirmation from the minister that he had no further requests, and thereby declared the consideration of the seventh item on the agenda closed.