Calls to expand school lunch programme to half of New Zealand schools
Thursday, 12 October 2023
Coming to school with only a packet of chips or biscuits - or even nothing at all - for lunch, is no longer a problem for kids now getting a taste of their first burrito and learning what a cherry tomato is.
Rawhiti School students in Christchurch have the option of a free nutritious lunch provided daily as part of the government-funded school lunch programme Ka Ora, Ka Ako.
Since its introduction at Rawhiti three years ago, students no longer turn up at the sickbay each afternoon feeling nauseous for no particular reason, said principal Liz Weir.
“We think that a number of those children were coming to the sickbay because they were hungry and sometimes when you’re hungry, you feel nauseous … those things have all gone,” she said.
“Early on, I recall one of the teachers having to explain to children what a cherry tomato was because they didn't know.”
All of the nearly 600 students at the North New Brighton school can choose to receive a nutritious lunch prepared off-site and delivered each day, funded by the government.
Since the introduction of the lunch programme, children are “more settled”, said Weir, and the school no longer has to make sandwiches or toast at their own expense for students who previously arrived with empty lunch boxes.
“It promotes their overall wellbeing and certainly enhances their ability to focus and learn in school.”
The Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme aims to reduce food insecurity for the top 25% of students facing the greatest socio-economic barriers. A total of 995 schools (or roughly 230,000 kids) are eligible nationwide and 13,170 students from 51 schools in Canterbury are fed daily through the programme.
Rawhiti student Hugo Becconsall, 11, said he had his first burrito through the programme and thought it was a good idea for people “who might not have big enough food for their family”.
Harry Stewart, 11, said the pizza scrolls and vege mac and cheese were his favourite, and school lunches had become “much easier”.
Weir is one of many education and health officials that want to see the programme at least doubled to more schools.
“I have been the principal of a decile 10 primary school, and I am now the principal of a [former] decile 3 … and there is need in every sector of our community,” she said.
“I think people do the best they can with the resources they've got, I don't believe anybody intentionally sends their child to school with a bad lunch … all schools would find some advantage in this.”
Health Coalition Aoteoroa (HCA) created a petition signed by over 100 schools, Post Primary Teachers' Association and NZEI unions, and 60 health and community organisations to expand Ka Ora, Ka Ako to at least 50% of the country’s schools.
Nearly one in five Kiwi kids are living with food insecurity, the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study found earlier this year.
HCA co-chair Dr Lisa Te Morenga said there were “a lot of kids with really high need for this sort of intervention that are missing out”.
“Plenty of families struggle with the cost of healthy food right now, so they might be able to put food on the table, but it's not always the best food on the table.”
The programme is currently funded year-on-year and HCA is calling for it to receive guaranteed baseline funding for at least the 25% of schools most at risk, while also being expanded to more kids.
Ka Ora, Ka Ako has come under scrutiny previously regarding food waste and unwanted leftovers. Weir said their school community snapped up the leftovers daily and she encouraged families to “take what you need”.