WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Thursday said New Zealand’s free and nutritious school lunch programme has served 100 million students nationwide.
Hipkins said that school teachers, principals, and parents countrywide had reported better focus and improved attendance, especially in the afternoon, due to students having a good lunch.
The PM said, “It’s also reducing costs for parents when they need a hand with the cost of living by easing everyday pressure on the household budget.”
According to him, the programme is expected to save a family with two children, on average, 66 NZ dollars (39.4 US dollars) per week and 2,500 NZ dollars (1,492 US dollars) annually. He also noted that it supports over 2,300 employees in communities throughout New Zealand. —Xinhua/APP
