Canary Islands approves the school canteen instructions for the 2026-2027 academic year

The Department of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands has approved the organization and operation instructions for school cafeterias in non-university public educational centers for the 2026-2027 academic year. The regulation is published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands number 167, dated August 20, 2026, through the Resolution of August 6, 2026 of the General Directorate for Center Administration, Schooling and Complementary Services (DGACESC), signed by its director general, David Crego Chaves.

The resolution, which affects thousands of Canarian families, establishes the days eligible for aid, the family income limit to access subsidies, the criteria for credit and fee allocation, and the allocations for the persons in charge of the cafeteria and the labor staff of each service. It is issued in compliance with the Order of February 25, 2003, which requires the DGACESC to publish these instructions at the start of each academic year, and in development of Resolution No. 306/2026, of April 30, modified by Resolution No. 513/2026, of July 9.

Service days and income limit

The cafeteria service will coincide with the teaching period established in the school calendar, and its implementation shall not exceed three days from the start of classes. For the 2026-2027 academic year, 175 days eligible for subsidy are established, and the School Councils will adapt the budget if the actual days of operation are higher.

The family income limit to be a beneficiary of the aid is set at 21,600 euros per year for families of one to four countable members, with an additional 1,600 euros for each additional member starting from the fourth.

Fees and allocations

The fees will be established by the School Council of each center, according to the following rules:

• Students who do not apply for a subsidy or do not meet the requirements will pay the maximum fee, and non-subsidized fees cannot be lower than 3 euros per day.
• Students benefiting from subsidies will have differentiated fees.
• Fees shall be deposited into the cafeteria’s current account within the first ten days of each month and are monthly expenses regardless of the days of use.
• Teaching staff and other authorized personnel may use the service with a fee of 3.50 euros per day, or the actual cost if it is higher.

The monthly allocations for the person in charge of the cafeteria, as a gratification, vary according to the module and the type of management:

• Up to 100 diners: €139.40 (direct management) and €121.70 (contract).
• From 101 to 300 diners: €147.00 and €128.50.
• More than 300 diners: €157.80 and €135.80.

Food safety and operation

Dining halls must guarantee the safety of diners and compliance with food safety regulations, including Royal Decree 1021/2022 and Law 17/2011, as well as Royal Decree 315/2025 on healthy and sustainable nutrition in educational centers. Menus must be varied, balanced, and adapted to each age group, and their scheduling shall be communicated to families. The School Council shall further guarantee the adaptation of diets for accredited medical needs or ethical or religious reasons.

Against this resolution, which does not exhaust administrative remedies, an appeal for reversal (recurso de alzada) may be filed before the Vice-Ministry of Education within one month of its publication.

The publication of these instructions is key for Canarian families, as it determines the economic and organizational conditions of a service essential for work-life balance throughout the school year, and sets the income thresholds that allow access to dining hall subsidies in non-university public centers.

Source: Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, no. 167, August 20, 2026, III. Other Resolutions, page 32550 (official reference: Resolution of August 6, 2026, of the DGACESC).