Free school meals should be given to all children when schools and nurseries return, a group of unions, charities, MSPs and youth organisations has said.
A gradual expansion of free school meals has been announced by the Scottish government, with all Primary 1 to 4 pupils now eligible from the start of the new term.
Free school meals are also due to become available to all P5 pupils in January, taking the number of eligible children to 90,000, according to Scottish government estimates.
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But the STUC (Scottish Trades Union Congress) Women’s Committee, along with unions, some MSPs, charities and youth organisations, have written to Scotland’s education secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, demanding that the policy be expanded to all pupils at both primary and secondary schools, as well as children at nursery.
STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “While the Scottish government has made some welcome advancements on free school meals policy in Scotland, it does not stretch far enough.
“From this week, pupils in Primary 1 to Primary 4 in Scotland will be entitled to a universal free school meal.
“Primary 5, 6, and 7 pupils will need to wait until 2022, while secondary school pupils and nursery have been discarded.
“Hunger, food insecurity, poverty and stigma know no age boundaries, and action on poverty and inequality cannot be further delayed.
“Poverty and inequality were already at an unacceptably high level in Scotland well before the coronavirus pandemic struck: 60 per cent of working-age adults are living in poverty and 65 per cent of children in poverty are living in a household where someone is in employment.
“Hundreds of families are living below the poverty line each day but do not meet the threshold for a free school meal.”
The amazing Tinto Primary School Staff @EISUnion EIS Branch demand @S_A_Somerville expands Universal Free School Meals to All✊ #FreeSchoolMeals
✅Tackle poverty & hunger
✅Embed a whole school community approach to nutrition & equality.
✅Help close the attainment gap pic.twitter.com/lC6YRQqtPl
- Eireann (@xeireannmcauley) August 16, 2021
Ms Foyer added: “If the Scottish government is serious about significantly reducing child poverty by 2030 and meeting its own child poverty targets, it must take action.
“Schools alone will not solve poverty, and the roots of the attainment gap stretch well beyond the school gates, but the significant role our educational institutions play in tackling poverty, challenging inequality and helping to build a healthier, more inclusive society cannot be underestimated.
“The momentum, the resources and the capacity to deliver universal free school meals to all is evident.
“What is missing is the will from the Scottish government to be bold and take action on committing to the implementation of this progressive policy.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Ministers are committed to expanding free school meals to all pupils in primary and special schools during the next Parliament, as well as introducing free year-round breakfast and lunch provision to support children outside of the school term.
“We are also committed to piloting approaches to universal meal provision in secondary schools.”
The spokesperson added: “Already this year, we have agreed with local authority partners to introduce universal free school lunches for Primary 4 and 5 children, and have provided targeted support during school holidays for all eligible primary and secondary children and young people.
“From this month, all children in funded early learning and childcare will receive a free meal in every session, regardless of where they access childcare.”
