Another look at the provision of school lunches.
It is clear – from school feedback and an Auditor General’s report that the current school lunch programme is beset with issues.
Societally it is controversial as our history in this area has been parents providing the lunch box. On a Friday, when I was at primary school, you could order fish’n’chips and you could get plate sized potato fritters for 5 cents (still addicted). I was completely fired up when I returned home one day, as a boy called Ronald had beaten me up and stolen my lunch. I was around 8 years old. I wanted him sent to prison for life (or worse). My mother’s response was to make two lunches the next day.
In terms of the high performing countries on international data – NZ is an outlier (along with Australia) for not providing high quality school lunches.
Almost every European country offers school lunch programs. Finland, Sweden, Croatia and Estonia provide universal, free daily meals to all students. Most other nations rely on mixed systems where the government subsidizes meals, charges income-adjusted fees, or partners with local authorities to offer catered lunches. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, the UK, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania provide targeted meals at a range of levels and eligibility.
Outside of Europe. Singapore operates widespread school canteens and offers meal subsidies for students from lower-income families.
Canada is rolling out a National School Food Program. The government has agreements with all provinces and territories to expand local school meal and snack initiatives.
Japan has a highly structured, nationwide school lunch program that operates in over 99% of public elementary and junior high schools, serving freshly made, nutritionally balanced meals designed by licensed nutritionists.
China has a large-scale school lunch system, highlighted by the nationwide Nutrition Improvement Program. It provides free or highly subsidized, nutritionally balanced lunches to over 37 million students, particularly in deprived rural areas.
Taiwan has a widespread school lunch program, but it is decentralized. Each city and county operates its own school lunch administration, determining subsidies, menus, and whether lunches are free for students.
South Korea has a highly regarded universal free school lunch program that provides daily, freshly prepared, nutritious meals to over 5 million elementary, middle, and high school students.
Particularly on Finland – where the effects of the lunch programme have been deeply researched:
“The school meals system plays an essential role in Finland’s educational system. Equal access to education and free-of-charge school meals has been one of the key factors in supporting economic growth and transforming Finland into a knowledge based society. Initially, school meals were introduced to address post-war poverty and malnutrition. For more than 75 years, Finland has been offering school meals for all students – the longest-running free-of-charge school feeding programme in the world which is funded with the government and municipal taxes. The funds for operating costs are disbursed directly to the education providers.”
“A school meal is considered as part of the national core curriculum, providing the pupils not only with a free of charge, balanced meal every school day, but also with food-related knowledge and skills. School meals play a key role in food education in school and the promotion of the well-being of the whole school community. The objective of food education in school is to master healthy and sustainable everyday food choices, the diversity of food alternatives and their significance, and to aim at food competence.”
– Reduced Absenteeism: Studies from the UK and broader Europe show that free school meals—particularly universal programs—significantly reduce absences. This is heavily attributed to both financial savings for struggling families and improved health-related immunity and nutrition.
– Academic & Long-term Benefits: Long-standing programs, such as those in Sweden, have demonstrated measurable impacts, including increased years of schooling and a higher likelihood of students pursuing university education.
As I have said before. If we are going to have a school lunch programme, and I think we should, we have to do it well. NZ needs to be pulling every possible leaver to improve the education provision for all children.