Stop the cuts - protect our free school lunches!
Sign the petition to save our school lunches
Ka Ora, Ka Ako – “being well means being able to learn’’
- The Government’s free school lunches programme – Ka Ora, Ka Ako provides free healthy lunches to 230,000 students each day in about 1,000 of our least advantaged schools.
- It is a major safety net from child food poverty in a cost-of-living crisis.
- Associate Education Minister David Seymour wants to cut it by up to 50 per cent.
- Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) has launched a campaign to protect our free school lunches.
- HCA is collaborating with members Hapai te Hauora and Child Poverty Action Group – and partnering with NZEI to ensure there are no cuts.
Campaign Action
We have launched a petition calling on the Government NOT to cut the free school lunches programme was launched on March 7, 2024 – with this media release.
National Day of Action – March 18 – education leaders will join with health and children’s advocates to eat lunch with students of Arakura School in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, to send a resolute message to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to stop the cuts to the lunch programme.
A toolkit with further actions to support the campaign is coming soon – this will include a template for letters to your local MP.
Background
- The Government’s free school lunches programme – Ka Ora, Ka Ako, was launched in 2019 to address rising food poverty and poor nutrition.
- The programme goes to schools in the top 25% of the equity index that are facing the greatest socioeconomic barriers.
- All students at those schools receive a healthy free lunch each day.
“Do not take the food out of our children’s mouths”
Principals at schools receiving Ka Ora, Ka Ako say the programme has made a huge and lasting impact on students and losing it would be a tragedy.
Principal of Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae in Māngere East Arihia Stirling said on TVNZ’s Breakfast programme, children are more focused and the number of students having to work to help pay for family basics has fallen as a result of the free lunch programme.
“What I say to the Associate Minister of Education is do not take the food out of our children’s mouths…this is so needed in the communities we serve.”
Seletute “Tute” Mila, principal of Arakura School in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, told The Press, Ka Ora, Ka Ako was a “critical programme” which her students loved.
The same story reported comments by Chisnallwood Intermediate Year 8 student Ryder who said the lunches should stay “… mainly because that is a lot of students’ meal for the entirety of the day … most people don’t have food at home.”
Before the lunches were introduced in 2022, Ryder said he struggled to learn “because my brain just got like, ‘oh, I’m so hungry’.“After I ate the lunches I’d always have energy to do stuff.”
The benefits of free lunches
Research and evaluations of Ka Ora, Ka Ako show a variety of benefits.
- Students who miss meals are two to four years behind in their learning to peers who never miss meals – Ka Ora, Ka Ako is an important way to address this.
- Parents told researchers free lunches reduced their grocery bills and encouraged their child to choose healthier food.
- Whānau and teachers of Ākonga Māori who received free lunches reported their tamariki and learners: ate more nutritious food, both at school and at home; had improved behaviour and attitudes; were more able to concentrate and engage with class material, and enjoy the learning experience; and had more confidence.
