Gagging on a school lunch: Ministry of Education removes clause some schools felt stifled by

The Ministry of Education is removing an agreement clause some schools felt prevented them from speaking out about the new healthy school lunch programme.

On Tuesday, Hawke’s Bay Today visited Heretaunga Intermediate in Hastings after the school staff posted on social media saying they were giving away more than 100 butter chicken school lunch meals to the community because a surplus was delivered to them by their supplier.

An apologetic Heretaunga Intermediate told Hawke’s Bay Today they were unable to speak about the act of kindness due to an agreement with the Ministry of Education.

The partnership agreement stated a school must check with the ministry before making any public announcements about Ka Ora, Ka Ako the healthy school lunches programme.

Heretaunga Intermediate was giving away more than 100 extra butter chicken school lunches it had been given. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Hautū (leader) operations and integration Sean Teddy said the clause had been a standard inclusion in ministry provider agreements and was intended to acknowledge the importance and value of communication.

“It was not to prevent providers from engaging with the media. Based on feedback, it is clear the clause does not meet our intent so we will remove it.”

Teddy said if schools want to promote or speak about their school lunches to their communities “they are free to do so without any contractual restrictions or negative repercussions”.

Teddy said the ministry had an overall responsibility for the school lunches programme, including promotion, and media announcements to the education sector and other audiences.

Teddy said intermediate, secondary, full primary (0-8) and composite schools (0-15) on the external model receive meals from the School Lunch Collective.

Internal model schools produce their own meals and iwi and hapū model schools receive meals from four local iwi meal providers.

Consolidating primary schools (0-6) currently receive meals from several meal providers.

In Hawke’s Bay, the lunch providers are Avimax Limited, Janey Bowen through Cafe Mahia, Puku Ora Limited, The Morning Kitchen Limited, Knuckles Limited and Black Maire Groups Limited through Aunty Roses Pai Kai.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.