Monday, 26th August 2019

The Victorian Government is making sure students living in Seville and Pakenham have the support they need to thrive at school, by investing in providing healthy breakfasts, lunches and school holiday supplies to children who need them.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today announced that Pakenham Primary School and Seville Primary School are two of 250 schools that have been invited to participate in the School Breakfast Clubs Expansion Program from Term 1 or 2 in 2020.

Under the expansion, 125 schools will be added to the School Breakfast Clubs Expansion Program each term next year, ensuring more students from families that are experiencing disadvantage have the support they need to succeed at school.

The program will also provide lunches and school holiday supplies to students who need it on top of breakfast.

The Victorian Government recently announced an additional 500 schools will join the School Breakfast Clubs Expansion Program, thanks to a $58 million boost through the 2019-20 State Budget.

A total of 1000 government primary, secondary, P-12 and special schools are set to benefit by the end of 2020.

It is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to ensuring children from disadvantaged families can fully participate in their learning at school, and build happy and healthy lives.

Where possible, School Breakfast Clubs Expansion Program products are sourced locally from Victorian producers and manufacturers, and this commitment to using locally sourced products will continue as the program expands.

The breakfast and lunch menu offerings include a range of healthy options such as muesli, Vita Brits, milk, baked beans, fruit cups, fresh apples, Vegemite and honey, and lunch bowls.

More than 8.8 million breakfasts have been delivered to Victorian students since the program started in 2016.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino

“Access to healthy meals shouldn’t be a barrier to getting a good education.”

“The school breakfast clubs program has served up more than 8 million breakfasts to Victorian students, and teachers around the state are seeing the enormous difference it makes in class.”

 Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“We know that students all over Victoria need proper meals every day to help them concentrate, learn and be their best while at school, and this expansion of the program means that more students will be able to reach their full potential every day.”

“The expansion the School Breakfast Clubs to local kids in Seville and Pakenham will help even more students to get the fuel they need to thrive.”