Aotearoa’s education sector leaders have jointly written to the Prime Minister, urging him to continue investing in Ka ora Ka Ako (the Healthy School Lunches Programme) at current levels.
Leaders of schools, early learning peak bodies and unions say the school lunch programme has significant benefits and any cuts to the lunch programme will take food off children who need it.
"We have high rates of food insecurity among students in our country,” says NZEI Te Riu Roa president Mark Potter, one of the letter signatories.
“We know from direct experience that when students have enough to eat they are better able to concentrate on their learning and there are fewer behaviour issues."
Tute Mila, a principal at Arakura School in Wainuiomata says that cutting the lunches programme would be‘ disastrous’ for her school.
On Monday next week, education leaders will join with health and children's advocates to eat lunch with the students of Arakura School in Wainuiomata to send a resolute message to Prime
Minister Christopher Luxon to stop cuts to the lunch programme.
You can find a link to the open letter to to the Prime Minister here.
ENDS