Union NZEI Te Riu Roa has called for responsibility of the lunch programme to be given to Education Minister Erica Stanford. © Rawpixel.com- stock.adobe.com
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">NZEI Te Riu Roa has asked for Minister of Education Erica Stanford to take over the revamped Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme, currently being overseen by Associate Education Minister David Seymour. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In the letter, the union has also asked for the programme to go back to its original, internally delivered model. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">President Ripeka Lessels says Seymour “has shown a lack of care for tamariki”. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">In an interview with 1News, Lessels said it was the Minister of Education’s job to “fix it”, and that’s why they are asking she step in. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In response, Seymour said Lessels was entitled to her view but “that’s the union view, and they’re playing politics”.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The letter comes after reports of Seymour failing to show up to a meeting with Stanford over the lunch scheme. Stanford says she wants to make sure the reported issues with the programme “are being cleared up”.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Seymour has said he is working on the issues with the provider, and pointed out there had been a 99 percent on time delivery for Monday last week. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We have had problems, we’ve been upfront about them, we’ve solved them and we’ll continue to do that. The net result will be meals the children do actually like.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“This particular programme has a lot more political attention on it right now. My commitment is that we are going to do it really well, we’re going to overcome problems when we find them and be first class in what we do.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Seymour said he would tell Stanford the plan was “continuous improvement”. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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