A new ACT government-funded pilot program will see thousands of Canberra students fed throughout their school days when the free meals initiative rolls out later this year.
The Meals in Schools pilot – an ACT Labor 2020 election commitment – will provide students at five ACT public schools with free breakfasts and lunches three days per week over a period of 18 months, beginning in term 3.
It will involve schools that represent a range of communities, year levels and taste preferences, and is set to cost the government $1.462 million.
Gilmore Primary School, Richardson Primary School, Narrabundah Early Childhood School, Gold Creek School's high school campus and Melba Copland Secondary School senior campus have been chosen to take part in the pilot.
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said it was an important, evidence-based program.
"National evidence and international evidence shows that when you have a full stomach you learn better, but not every child comes to school with a full stomach and ready to learn," she said.
"We all know what it's like when you're hungry: nothing is ever quite right when you're waiting for that next meal.
"Making sure they have a good, nutritious meal – in breakfast or in lunch – so that they can get on with their learning is what this program is all about."
Ms Berry said different age groups might see different kinds of meals provided as part of the program, with hot meals for younger cohorts and grab-and-go foods for the more senior students looking for something quick and easy to eat.
She said after having consulted with other Australian jurisdictions that had introduced similar programs without a pilot, the government decided a pilot was important to ensure the program was tailored to each school's individual needs.
"We want to work with schools and their communities – and students as well – to see what works for them," Ms Berry said.
"Every school has a different community, and a different vibe, and diversity that we want to understand [to] make sure that as we pilot this program that we get the model right.
"We know that the model will probably be different in every school because the circumstances in every single school are different."
Pilot a step in the right direction: principal
Gilmore Primary School, one of the five schools involved in the pilot, already has a breakfast club for their students.
School principal Vicki Lucas said she believed the pilot would not take away from the school's pre-existing club, but would help expand what it already offered.
"I think it's a great opportunity for our very dedicated and hard-working P&C volunteers who run our three-day-a-week canteen," she said.
"Our P&C's canteen is very much a part of our school community, and we'll be able to build that up and increase the business acumen of the P&C at the same time."
Ms Lucas said while she would love to see the program grow beyond its currently proposed three days a week, the pilot was a move in the right direction.
"I'd absolutely love to see it five days a week. I'd like to see it seven days a week, 24 hours a day if we possibly could, but that's not possible," she said.
"Any support that the school can receive to support the children and their families is a step in the right direction."
Ms Berry said she couldn't make a commitment to expanding the program to more days or to more ACT schools, but the intention of the pilot was to figure out what works best and how it could be expanded in the future.
'They do learn better when their needs are met'
ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Association Executive Officer Veronica Elliott said her association was "really excited" about the launch of the pilot.
Ms Elliott said P&Cs in the ACT currently run about 30 school canteens, making them the largest provider of canteens in public schools.
"I think while our P&Cs will be really keen to keep a close eye on what's happening here, we're really excited to see that this will be a collaborative process throughout the trial," she said.
"We know that if we want our students to be learning then we need to ensure they have a full tummy, because they do learn better when their needs are met."
Ms Elliott said many parents were facing cost-of-living pressures, and the council expected the program's pilot the be popular.
She said while these pressures at home were a very good reason a student may need a free meal, there were plenty of other reasons that were also important.
"I think these types of programs work best when they're not defined. Needs come and go," she said.
"Whether that's for students to have extra socialisation time, or a quiet time in the morning when they come in, both of those needs are equally valid [to cost of living pressures]."
