The rising cost of learning means some students are returning to school hungry — and without the very basics.
A KidsCan survey released this morning has revealed 65% of schools say poverty is worsening in their communities, with 47 schools reporting students who had taken on part-time jobs or left school altogether to work.
In response, KidsCan has launched an "urgent appeal" to support vulnerable children as the school year begins..
"This is always the hardest time of the year for vulnerable families as they face crippling back to school costs - but 2024 may be the toughest yet," KidsCan’s boss Julie Chapman said.
"We’re facing record demand with thousands of students waiting for help. Schools aren’t just asking us for food and clothing — some need shampoo, soap and toothpaste. The essentials are becoming luxuries."
As they notice more students battling anxiety, teachers say they need more resources, especially for mental health support. (Source: 1News)
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Porirua College deputy principal John Topp said some of his students turn up to school without uniforms, lunch, or devices.
“They come to school hungry because they haven’t had breakfast that morning — we see that every day.”
He said the students can often feel ashamed, so the school provides breakfasts and lunches as well as uniforms and learning equipment they may need.
Topp said it’s not a new problem and that it’s been going on for years. He said it was bad before Covid but the pandemic has made it worse.
Asked what further support schools need, he said staff need proper training and time to build relationships and work with students and their whānau.
“It would be great to have some more support with uniforms and devices, because those devices and uniforms come out of the school budget.”
“We just need people to understand that the young people at school, if we don’t make a difference for them now they’re just going to follow the same path that many people before them have followed.
“They’ll end up unhealthy, with lower paying jobs, without retirement savings, not owning a home — we need to break the cycle.”
Asked if he wanted to see any changes from the new Government, Topp said it’s “easy to blame the parents” for not providing kids with food, but if schools don’t provide for their students, then it’s the young people who suffer.
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