Food in schools
Last week the Prime Minister announced that the Government was boosting funding to expand Fonterra and Sanitarium’s KickStart Breakfast programme, and also provide a grant to KidsCan to help with their work.
The Government is contributing $9.5 million over five years to the KickStart programme, which will be matched dollar for dollar by Fonterra and Sanitarium.
Sanitarium will provide the Weetbix, Fonterra will provide the Anchor milk, and it’s up to the local community to deliver the programme.
This will put breakfast in decile one to four schools, five mornings a week. Other schools can opt in during 2014, if they want to. I know some schools locally already run successful programmes and interested schools will be able to learn from these.
The Government is also committing $1.5 million over three years to KidsCan. This will help provides children with basic necessities such as raincoats and shoes.
This week’s announcements compliment the Government’s commitment to the fruit-in-schools programme which delivers about 11 million pieces of fruit a year, with a focus on decile 1 and 2 schools. Many schools I have visited in the Horowhenua and Ōtaki areas rate this programme highly.
In general, the amount of fruit and vegetables eaten by many kids is low. There are very positive health benefits in children eating even at least 1 piece of fruit a day.
Ultimately, parents have the responsibility for ensuring that kids get to school with enough food in their lunchboxes, and by and large they do a great job.
However, for a variety of reasons, some kids are arriving school with nothing at all.
Too often these kids are the ones who underperform in the classroom, and this Government is serious about lifting student achievement. Having a full tummy will help those who otherwise struggle to learn.
This is about striking the right balance by protecting vulnerable children and not creating dependency. Ultimately, the best solutions to these issues are not the sole responsibility of the Government but the combined efforts of parents, communities, and businesses.
Some other announcements in this year’s Budget include: $100 million to extend the home insulation programme; $24 million for rheumatic fever prevention; and $41 million for early childhood education with a focus on vulnerable.
This Government has a strong record of targeting assistance to those who need it most. Parents and communities will play a crucial role in ensuring the next generation of New Zealand’s leaders grow up healthy, strong, and happy.