New Zealand offers free school lunches to thousands of kids
WELLINGTON, Feb. 20 ( Xinhua) – “Thousands of children have begun receiving a free lunch on schooldays under the government's free and healthy school lunch program," Prime Minister (首相) Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday.
"The program is for 7 ,000 students at 31 schools right now. The number will extend to 21,000 students in 120 schools by the start of 2021 ,"Ardern said while she was serving up lunch at a school in Hawke's Bay.
"A full stomach makes all the difference to a child's learning," Ardern said.
"Providing a free and healthy lunch at school is one way to help New Zealand become the best place in the world for school children. And people can see that difference right away," she said. She added that providing these lunches was also a great way for local families to have jobs.
"The program is one of 75 plans from New Zealand's CYWS (Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy). It started last year and developed with the money from 10,000 New Zealanders including 6,000 young people," said Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
