Mickoski: Student meal allowance could rise from 3,500 to 4,500 denars through the M-Services app

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced that the first meeting between the prime minister, the education minister, government representatives and student parliaments from all universities in the country was held yesterday. The meeting included an open discussion about students’ living standards and the difficulties they face.

Mickoski said he had presented students with a proposal for how the student meal allowance would work, and that he expected their response at the next meeting.

“We have the impression, and some information, that many recipients of the student meal allowance do not use the money loaded onto their debit cards for food, but for other purposes,” he said.

According to the prime minister, following the introduction of new services in the M-Services app, he and the minister proposed replacing the cards and the current monthly payment of 3,500 denars with a new system. Students receive 140 denars a day, six days a week, amounting to almost 3,500 denars a month. Through the M-Services app, they would be able to activate the M-Student Meals option and use the allowance up to a value of 4,500 denars.

“Through this app, we will create a list of restaurants, grocery stores, dairy bars and other establishments where you can actually buy food, since this is a student meal allowance,” Mickoski said.

He explained that the proposal aims to prevent the money from being spent on alcohol, cigarettes or other inappropriate purposes.

The prime minister also stressed that the benefit would not be limited to the amount allocated for the meal allowance, but would remain valid until the end of the month.

“After you have used your student meal allowance, the benefit will remain valid until the end of the month. If we secure a 20–25% discount at a restaurant and you have used your meal allowance by the 15th, then on the 20th, when you sit down for breakfast with your colleagues again, you will pay. But instead of 100 denars, with a 25% discount you will pay 75 denars,” Mickoski said.