Kieran Madden –
Some Kiwi children are going to school hungry.
Learning is hard when you are hungry, and getting ahead in life is hard when you are not learning.
This is a serious problem; one that Members of Parliament David Shearer (Labour) and Metiria Turei (Green) sought to do something about, above and beyond the government’s KickStart breakfast programme supported by Fonterra and Sanitarium.
Both politicians conceded that their bills were not perfect, but because they will never see the Select Committee stage, neither bill will have a chance to be reworked.
Serious questions
In one sense, this is a real shame, because we need to ask some serious questions about programmes designed to help our children thrive.
This is doubly important because research suggests that a solid education is one the most effective ways to break intergenerational cycles of poverty.
Keeping children dry is important. Last week, John Key quipped
While handing out raincoats to children as a part of a ‘KidsCan initiative’ that the government helped fund to the tune of $500,000, Prime Minister John Key asked 20 children at one school whether they already had a raincoat.
“Yes,” all of them replied.
“So it is great that they have got another one,” said Mr Key, “and we support ‘KidsCan’ and we are giving them money…but just because you give children raincoats does not mean they did not own one beforehand,” he said.
Some have criticised Mr Key’s survey methods, taking him to task for asking the children in the first place.
There is something to this, as children are likely to be ashamed or embarrassed by their lack and may bend the truth a little to protect theirs and their family’s reputations.
Some concerns
What is concerning here though is that we have a government making the point that a large sum of money was spent on a programme that may not be meeting needs as effectively as it could.
KidsCan research suggests that around a third to a quarter of children at a school they served did not already have raincoats. There are benefits for universal distribution, such as minimizing stigma, but it comes at a cost.
Food in schools is no different.
Changing tack
Mr Shearer did an extraordinary thing for a politician on this issue. He admitted that he was wrong. He changed his mind and policy direction when confronted with evidence that eventually convinced him that ‘free food solves nothing.’
He now believes “that each school community should be resourced to find and deliver its own long-term food solutions.”
Mr Shearer’s perspective shows that perhaps there is a better way forward here; another reason it is a shame that his bill did not get in front of the Select Committee for further development.
Of course, basing policy, or indeed, opinion pieces on anecdotal evidence is not exactly best practice.
KidsCan and the government are doing great work on the poverty front.
Both are making significant inroads.
But we have to remain constantly focused that we are spending our limited resources wisely on outcomes; that needs are really met and lives transformed.
Kieran Madden is a Researcher at Maxim Institute based
