Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced last week the school lunch programme would get $478 million in the Budget to continue for the next two years under a new version that aims to save taxpayers $107m a year.
Seymour said there would be no changes to the programme for primary school learners in Years 0 to 6, but an “alternate provisional model” would be established for Years 7 and up.
“The alternate provision model will use the Government’s significant buying power to save money on food, give schools more flexibility on what they provide, and significantly reduce wastage. It also means parents and students can choose to make their own lunch.”
He went on to say it was out with quinoa, couscous and hummus, and in with sandwiches and fruit.
Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association president Brendon Morrissey said principals are “over the moon” that the programme is continuing.
“It’s done so much good for some of our kids and gone a long way [toward helping to] address some equity issues.”
He said it signalled a positive step forward for primary schools in which “gone are the days” of a bag of Twisties and a bottle of Coke for lunch - or no lunch at all.
Morrissey said it is not difficult to see why the programme has been so well-received.
“It’s not rocket science by any stretch of the imagination. Kids can’t concentrate in class if their tummy is rumbling.”
He said since the introduction of Ka Ora, Ka Ako in 2020, there has been a notable improvement in attendance.
His main worry was the programme’s funding may be cut in the future, and said it should instead be viewed as something that “just is”.
“It’s something that really does need to be continued on by whoever is in government.”
Collaboration with schools on future provision should be prioritised, he said.
“Nobody knows the kids better than the schools and the staff that have them every day.”
Te Mānihi Tumuaki Northland Secondary Principals’ Association chairman Alec Solomon said he is “delighted” about the continuation of the programme but “incredibly concerned” regarding how the changes will look.
Solomon said those with concerns students receiving lunch in schools were getting a superior nutritional offering compared with students who don’t are missing the point.
“What the ministry has potentially misunderstood is that for many of our students, their lunch [at] school is an essential meal of the day.”
“There is extreme nutritional poverty in Northland and other areas, and this is one of the only programmes that truly met the resource and met the need.”
Solomon understood the funding would be based on a $3 per meal basis - a “significant drop” from what schools were funded at.
Tikipunga High School student Mj Keegan-Witehira, 11, is happy with her lunch of nachos, a banana and yoghurt. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Seymour said with buying power, the lunches would be heavily discounted, but Solomon said whether those discounts are big enough to equate for such a drop is yet to be seen.
He also called into question whether Seymour had considered the logistics of delivering the programme.
His school employs chefs to plan, prepare, serve and clean up daily lunches. However, the new programme will see food delivered “on a palate” and it will be up to the school to deliver the programme.
“I just cannot see how we can continue to afford to have that delivery.”
He said it could take away from valuable resources if not implemented well.
“Every school needs high-performing staff. We need teachers at the top of their game. At Tikipunga High School, we’ve got chefs at the top of theirs. When there is so much need in Northland, we don’t need to use valuable teaching resources to make sandwiches.”
