Following a motion that was passed in September 2022 with 125 votes in favour, the School Meals Programme was launched in 2023. Its aim was to prevent children from sitting hungry in the classroom and to promote equal opportunities. It also serves as a targeted income-support measure for families. Funding had been arranged through 2024.
Because no funding has been allocated in the Coalition Agreement for its continuation in 2025, the representatives fear that the programme will end after 1 January 2025. In an urgent letter, they call on parliamentary spokespeople and ministers from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and the Ministry of Finance to prevent this from happening.
Proven intervention
The representatives point out to politicians that this is a proven intervention, with nearly 80% of all schools in the target group in the Netherlands participating. Both schools and parents rate the School Meals Programme very positively, as shown previously by research conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. For example, 84% of schools say that children are less hungry in the classroom, and 79% say that the programme provides financial relief for families. The effects on healthy eating, the relationship between schools and parents or carers, and the atmosphere in the classroom are also positive. It is also noteworthy that 86% of participating schools indicate that the programme has no effect or a positive effect on effective teaching time.
Concerns among schools
A survey by the Youth Education Fund shows that schools are overwhelmingly concerned about a possible termination of the School Meals Programme. Schools say they fear that pupils will once again sit hungry in the classroom (95%), that parents will be less able to make ends meet (87%), and that pupils' concentration will decline again (91%).
The signatories of the urgent letter point out to parliamentary spokespeople and ministers that school meals can contribute to various policy objectives: combating poverty, promoting equal development opportunities, preventing overweight, and teaching good eating habits. They therefore urgently call on Parliament to provide schools with clarity by continuing the programme in 2025 as well. Ideally, this would be done by making the programme structural, but at the very least by extending it for another year.