Cost of living crisis: Too hungry to learn

From teachers op-shopping for school stationery supplies, to giving out food from their own lunches or growing food at the school māra kai (food garden), the cost of living crisis is bleeding into classrooms.

Schools across the country are increasingly dependent on support from charities such as KidsCan to help with sourcing additional food and clothing basics for their students.

Topsy Remuera, of Pukeatua Primary School in Wainuiomata, said absenteeism was the main symptom, with some parents reportedly keeping their kids home from school as they had nothing for them to eat.

‘‘I think they feel a little embarrassed,’’ she said. ‘‘When they get here, if they haven’t eaten they’re not ready to learn. We have to feed them first.’’

Remuera said the school could provide them with food through the Ministry of Education’s Healthy School Lunches Programme.

Nearly 1000 schools containing a quarter of the country’s children with the highest needs are already in the Ka Ora Ka Ako.

However, Health Coalition Aotearoa, a group of more than 55 health academics and 65 medical organisations, say more children than ever needed the scheme because of soaring food prices.

KidsCan also helps provide additional meals for about 30 students at Pukeatua, as well as fresh fruit. The school has also set up a mā ra kai and orchard to support whā nau.

Some parents also struggled with the back-to-school costs of stationery and new clothing. Of the school’s 111 students, only a few came to school with the minimal stationery required, she said.

‘‘We try and keep it low anyway. Luckily we recycle and reuse books that haven’t been used, so we have things we can give them.’’ It was even harder for larger families, especially those on low wages or a benefit, she said.

KidsCan helped supply jackets and shoes while a local knitting group provided beanies and gloves for the winter months.

Porirua College deputy principal John Topp said the cost of living crisis had other flow-on effects and was contributing to poor health and wellbeing, as well as fewer students playing sport. ‘‘The cost of living crisis is traumatic.’’

Only two weeks in, he’d already had two requests for students to drop to a part-time school schedule, to take on extra work and support their families. With parents working more to get by, many students also had to get younger siblings to school.

Students were coming to school hungry, too. Lunch had been moved from after midday to 11.20am because so many students struggled to focus.

‘‘It’s actually better after lunch when they’ve got a bellyful of tucker.’’

There were many days he didn’t finish his own lunchbox, offering items up to different students.

Support from KidsCan, which also supplies jackets and shoes, made a ‘‘huge difference’’ for ā konga (students) and whā nau, Topp said.

KidsCan chief executive Julie Chapman said schools spoke of a ‘‘cost of learning crisis’’ with students’ education suffering as families struggle to stay afloat.

‘‘We’re seeing record demand for KidsCan food at school, as families go hungry at home.

‘‘But with our costs rising and a drop in people able to donate every month, we need more help from individuals and businesses, too,’’ Chapman said.

‘‘Too much of the burden is falling on overwhelmed teachers, and they need all the support we can give them.’’

KidsCan, which supports nearly 900 schools nationwide and feeds about 49,000 children a day, had seen a sharp rise in need and was working to provide partner schools extra support.

‘‘When they get here, if they haven’t eaten they’re not ready to learn. We have to feed them first.’’ Topsy Remuera Pukeatua Primary School in Wainuiomata