The Ministry of Education commissioned report, from a kaupapa Māori perspective, found students were happier, better learners and engaging with tikanga Māori more often. Teachers also reported that feeding kids reduced aggression and improved behaviour.
“It was also found that the school lunch programme alleviated stress for many whānau, by reducing grocery bills and the cost of living,” Labour’s education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.
This follows a March Cabinet Paper advising the Government the changes to the school lunch programme would affect achievement, attendance, nutrition and wellbeing of children, as well as having wider impacts on reducing child poverty. Ministers ignored this and made the changes anyway.
“The evidence is clear about the benefits for Māori students. Stripping this programme bare is simply another attack on Māori rangatahi, worsening inequities and further deepening the divide in Māori-Crown relations,” Labour’s Māori education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.
“It’s baffling as to why Erica Stanford is letting David Seymour go ahead with these changes, given the evidence, reports from teachers, parents and principals about the benefits of the school lunch programme and all their talk about improving attendance,” Jan Tinetti said.
“It’s time Christoper Luxon put his foot down as Prime Minister and stopped David Seymour’s downsizing of school lunches.”
It’s baffling why Erica Stanford is allowing David Seymour to muscle in on her portfolio.
Why was it given to her, just for him to push her around and make her look weak as well as her leader.
I don’t consider her a good education minister but she’s not being given a chance to do the job herself with that well-known educational expert Seymour, poking his nose in as well.
Stick up for yourself Erica and tell him to push off!
Even if he’s an associate education minister he’s not ‘it’. He needs to follow her lead, not stand on her head.
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