Free school meals programme expansion delayed

Wednesday 17 November 2021

Covid has delayed the delivery of a free school meals programme – but work is underway to plan the installation of serving areas in another six schools next year.

Caring Cooks has been providing a daily main meal and dessert to children at Janvrin, St. Luke's and Samarès primary schools since 2019, but the Government had previously pledged to expand the programme across more schools.

In response to a request for an update on the programme from Deputy Rob Ward, whose Government Plan push for £500,000 to expand the meals programme failed last year, the Education Minister said covid-related school closures had prevented the expansion and the pilot scheme had instead been extended until July 2022.

Deputy Scott Wickenden said this was “in order to provide the Government with a full set of data as per the original plan.” 

He continued: “Early in 2022 the pilot scheme will extend to another (still to be decided) primary school.

“Work is in progress to plan the fit out of servery areas in another six schools in readiness for a phased, contracted service rollout that is scheduled to commence in September 2022. A procurement strategy is being developed with the CYPES commissioning and SPPP teams to commence the process of finding a preferred supplier in time for the start of the September 2022 term.”

On the long-term future of the project, he said the plan was “to implement a fully serviced school food provision across the remaining Primary schools, which are budgeted for in the Government Plan.”

“However,” Deputy Wickenden added, “because of the size of the project, the food service model and conversations with the local market a phased roll out is the preferred option.

“Timescales for a fully integrated service across all CYPES primary schools will be developed once the contract is awarded.”

As Marcus Rashford’s push for free school meals gained traction in the UK last year, Jersey’s Children’s Commissioner Deborah McMillan told Express of the situation locally: “It hardly needs stating that a child’s right to food is fundamental to their ongoing survival, health and wellbeing," she commented.

“However, what this current debate around school meals is also highlighting is that poverty in our island still remains hidden and, in many cases, largely unaddressed. 

“Lack of food can adversely affect children’s lives in myriad ways. Anyone who has ever tried to sit through class on an empty stomach will know that. 

“And, while many in the third sector are working hard to tackle these problems, our government also needs to ensure that it is doing everything it can to help.”