3367 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Associate Minister of Education

3367 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Associate Minister of Education: Further to reply 1890 (2024), which schools would experience an improvement with 25% wastage?

Hon David Seymour: I have received correspondence indicating that wastage of more 25% is occurring. One teacher has told my office that "Only about 40% of the students take up the offer of a free lunch! Depending on what is on offer...the majority of what is taken ends up in the garbage. The college then gives away the remainder to local churches and the Iwi. I agree that this needs to be targeted." As the member is aware, the previous Government did not set the programme up in a way that allowed the Ministry of Education to collect this data at the school level.