Twelve school and early childhood groups have come together to request that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon continue funding the free school lunch program, Ka Ora Ka Ako. The groups, which include a variety of schools, principals, teacher unions, and early childhood education associations, believe the program is vital.
The program currently offers lunches to 230,000 students in about 1,000 of the least advantaged schools, providing a major safety net against food poverty and poor nutrition. Research shows that students who miss meals due to lack of money are two to four years behind in their learning compared to those who never miss meals.
However, Associate Education Minister David Seymour has indicated that funding for the scheme could be reduced. He believes there is no solid evidence that the program improves children’s achievement and attendance. The program, which was introduced by the Labour government in 2019, feeds more than 220,000 students at a cost of about $325 million a year.
Last year, the previous government approved funding for the program only until the end of this year after Treasury advised that evaluations of Ka Ora Ka Ako showed health benefits, but little educational benefit. Health Coalition Aotearoa has defended the scheme, noting that assessment of the program happened in 2021 when student attendance reached all-time lows due to high levels of COVID and other illnesses in the community.
