Tashkent, March 16 -- The Institute of Macroeconomic and Territorial Studies conducted surveys regarding the provision of free lunches in schools. One survey found that free lunch increases school attendance by 8 percent. A test was initiated in 2022 to provide free lunch to elementary school students in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region, with 100 billion soums allocated from the state budget to each region. IMTS surveyed over 4,000 1-4 graders, their parents, and teachers in 40 schools in these regions, determining the implementation of the free school meal program as "satisfactory."

Additionally, a social survey under the project evaluating children's well-being in Uzbekistan, supported by the World Bank, involved over ...