Feed the Weans, Feed the Future
Feed the Weans, Feed the Future
++ DOUBLE WIN++ | Unite for a Workers' Economy's TWO main campaign demands have now been met
End means-based ‘free’ school meals and provide school dinners for all primary school children – WON! - On 4 May 2023, deputy first minister Shona Robison confirmed that the Scottish government will deliver free school meals for all primary school children, including P6 and P7 pupils by 2024. This was also confirmed by first minister Humza Yousaf at first minister's questions on 11 May.
News updates
- Free school meals for all Scottish primary pupils will go ahead, says deputy FM - BBC News - May 2023
- Yousaf 'ties himself in knots' over conflicting school meals policy - Herald Scotland - May 2023
- Scottish First Minister's Questions - May 2023
- Good Morning Scotland - BBC Sounds - May 2023
Campaign background
UNITE WIN | School meal debt to be written off - 30 March 2023 campaign update
Unite’s campaign to ‘feed the weans’ has spurred councillors into action to write off school meals’ debt. Unite has been working with parents across Glasgow to build support across the city.
However, councils and the Scottish government have yet to put provisions in place to ensure that no child has to go hungry during the school day.
Unite for a Workers’ Economy will continue our campaign to end means-based ‘free’ school meals and to provide free school dinners for all children up to P7. Rising costs mean an increasing number of families who are not entitled to these school meals can no longer make ends meet.
With 24% of Glasgow residents reporting they live in moderate to severe food poverty, it’s critical to ensure children are fed in the most important years of their lives.
Our demands
Unite for a Workers Economy in Scotland has partnered with Together Against Debt and the Scottish Trade Union Congress – Women’s Committee to drive change to ensure that no child has to go hungry during the school day, so we can give children the best start in life because hungry children cannot learn.
Only recently the Scottish government incorporated the UNCRC ‘United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child’ into Scots law. We believe educational institutions should provide food, good nourishment, and nutrition to ALL children without means-testing. Implementing this should be at no detriment to the school, providing school meals for all children and cancelling school meal debt shouldn't come from individual school budgets.
Our two demands are:
- WON | End means-based ‘free’ school meals and provide school dinners for all children
- WON | Eradicate all school meal debt
No child should have to go hungry during the school day, we must give children the best possible start in life because hungry children cannot learn. Sign the Feed the Weans, Feed the Future petition today.
