Summer break is near and while many are excited to spend it at the beach or take a trip abroad, others can't even afford to eat. In fact, new reports suggest that pupils will be hungry during the summer break. For those who are not aware, there are children who rely on free school meals to fill their stomach. During summer breaks, there would be no free school meals.
BBC reported that teachers are warning about the risk of "Dickensian era," noting that students might go back to a life of extreme poverty. "We risk returning to a Dickensian era rife with inequality," said The Associations of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary Mary Bousted.
Per Telegraph, the warning arises following a new study that suggests four out of ten education staff are aware of students who come to school hungry and without money for lunch. The study revealed that students have so little money that they have to opt for "a large, sharing size packet of crisps" for lunch.
BBC also notes that 26 percent of students went hungry during summer. Moreover, almost 50 percent of the staff said that summer break negatively affects students' mental health. According to John Puckrin, a teacher from central London, based on the Trussel Trust's (food bank provider) recent report there's a 21 percent increase in demand during school holidays.
In fact, the city council noticed an increase in application for holiday clubs, but only to those sessions that provide food. According to Janet Blanchard bored and hungry children could "get up to mischief or get into trouble," which makes this report even more disheartening and alarming.
BBC further notes that The Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference are lobbying for a better holiday scheme that includes meals for students. The Department of Education has not addressed the issue of holiday hunger, but they stressed that they are aiming to provide a nutritious free meal at lunch for 1.3 million more children.
What do you think is the best solution to end hunger issues during summer? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
