More than 500 children in the Cayman Islands have their school lunches paid for by government.
But it is likely that more school children are getting subsidised lunches from school authorities and non-profit groups because parents are neglecting to supply adequate food or money for lunch even if they can afford it, says the Director of Child and Family Services, Deanna Look Loy.
‘There are parents who do need help in providing lunch to their children and we are happy to provide that service because children need proper nutrition in which to learn,’ says Look Loy. ‘But these are not all needy cases. There are many parents who can afford it but still don’t give their child a proper brownbag lunch or money to buy it. And this is really irresponsible of parents.’
Many parents will go on expensive vacations abroad and come back to Child and Family Services and ask for help paying for school expenses including lunch, she explained.
In 2007, there were about 7,300 school children in school with about 4,600 in the public school system with the remaining students attending private schools.
The bulk of the 500 students receiving government subsidised lunch attend the public school system.
That number may even be higher because some school authorities and other non-profit organisations are providing lunch when the child’s parents do not go through Child and Family Services for assistance.
This high number appears to contradict the results of the National Assessment of Living Conditions study, a report that was released earlier this year and indicated that less than two per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.
For many children, school meals are their main source of nutrition. Inadequate nutrition can have a devastating impact on a child’s development, resulting in slower learning and increased illness.
To become eligible for subsidised lunch, parents must go to Child and Family Services to be interviewed as to need assessment. But many parents refuse to be interviewed so if they are not providing their children an adequate meal at lunchtime then it is left to the schools or non-profits to provide it; otherwise that child could go without. Some non-profits are even providing breakfast to school children says Look Loy.
‘There are many parents who could do better for their children, but they are just negligent,’ says Look Loy.
Mrs. Look Loy
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