The Beijing Municipal Commission of Education has announced that it will set aside 25.16 million yuan (US$ 3.15 million) to subsidize canteens in the city's higher education institutions.

The funds, which will last five months, are designed to compensate for the recent hikes in food prices and keep prices of meals stable.

The municipal commission has also urged authorities of different universities and vocational schools to issue temporary subsidies to students from low-income families.

In the meantime, universities and colleges in the national capital have been told to ban outside people from dining at canteens on their campuses.

Food prices climbed 18.2 percent year-on-year in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.