School meals are provided only in secondary boarding schools; however, there is presently no structured policy directing this. The government provides funding through grants, according to menus and budgets prepared by school boards. A teacher usually manages daily operations including monitoring the procurement and cooking arrangements, and students are usually given responsibilities. However, school kitchens are often underfunded and rudimentary without electricity for refrigeration, which limits menu options. In some schools, fresh produce from school gardens is used to complement the meals, but they are often monotonous, relying on tinned products.  

There are currently no nutrition guidelines or standards that define or regulate the types of foods that are sold and prepared in and around schools in Papua New Guinea. Despite the fact that there is a National Nutrition Policy (2016-2026) more efforts need to be made to provide healthy school meals for school children in Papua New Guinea. 

The Departments of Agriculture, Education and Health are collaborating with FAO on a pilot school meal programme in one secondary and one primary school in two provinces (Eastern Highlands and Chimbu (Simbu), respectively). The pilot aims to support school-age students (8-14 years old) to consume adequate, nutritious, diverse and safe school meals and where possible, to purchase food from local farmers and thereby contribute to local economies in the process. Part of this collaboration involves developing nutrition guidelines for schools, although this is also in the planning phase.