Sir, – Hot school meals are getting a lot of airtime lately on all forms of media.
Can I humbly suggest that the lower uptake of the food is due to the fact that what was originally a Deis programme is now being offered to all schools?
I have dealt with school meals since its inception in 2004.
For many years, it was just cold lunches and only available if your school was designated as Deis, which stands for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools.
RM Block
When hot meals were introduced a few years ago, it was also a Deis initiative.
However, since the inclusion of non-Deis schools, the number of uneaten lunches has increased dramatically. I am acutely aware that there are pockets of disadvantage in every school, and no matter how affluent an area appears to be, there will be children coming to school hungry.
I suggest that, going forward, the Department of Education provides a hybrid lunch.
From Easter to Halloween the children get cold lunches, ie sandwiches and fruit/yoghurts etc. Then from Halloween right through to Easter they get a hot lunch. I believe that the drop in uptake of lunches is also due to the children not wanting something hot in the warmer school days.
[ School meals with processed foods preferred to healthy options, audit findsOpens in new window ]
Who needs a chicken curry before going out to play football or chase their friends around the school field?
It’s a great scheme but needs a little tweaking, and feedback from the kids should be sought regularly. – Yours, etc,
PAT BURKE WALSH,
Retired principal,
Co Wexford.
