By Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, March 24 NZPA - The Education Ministry was criticised today for tailoring its advice on the effect of nutrition on kids' learning to the new Government.

Green MP Sue Kedgley presented to the education select committee her 16,000 signature petition seeking to reinstate school food guidelines that were scrapped last year by Education Minister Anne Tolley.

Ministry officials also fronted the committee and submitted that the guidelines were not needed because many children bought lunch to school or purchased food outside the school. They said schools were being freed up from compliance pressures to focus more on their core roles and boards of trustees were able to decide what food was available in schools.

"They seem to be oblivious to the advice from their own ministry that if children are eating poorly this will undermine their educational performance and academic achievement," Ms Kedgley told MPs.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard said Ms Kedgley could not expect the ministry to give advice counter to government policy.

"I do understand, but interestingly I quote in my submission advice that was given by the Ministry of Education prior to this government taking over," she said.

"They have in the past emphasised the fact that they are very, very aware of the link between poor nutrition and educational unachievement and that was what motivated them to be a partner with the Ministry of Health in developing the guidelines."

In her written submission, she said ministry advice to the former minister said there was "considerable evidence linking children's nutrition to educational outcomes" and detailed results of a study. "The same study reported that tuck shops were the primary source of lunch for around half of these students," Ms Kedgley said.

Ministry official Colin McGregor said schools were still required to promote healthy food and drink and schools did not control what children purchased elsewhere or bought from home.

"The clause itself, whilst it could maintain control within the school, outside the school where the students went or came in with lunch it was ineffective."

Mr Mallard said when he was a boy teachers were strict about letting students leave the grounds.

Education Secretary Karen Sewell said the ministry would seek a review in a few years time to see how the change had affected schools' promotion of healthy food.

Ms Sewell said the curriculum aimed to educate children about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

National MP Jo Goodhew said school canteen menus that Ms Kedgley provided showed there were healthy options available, but the Green MP said those options were far fewer and significantly more expensive than previously.

While primary school canteens tended not to sell fizzy drinks there were often vending machines at high schools for which boards got paid as much as $10,000 a year and the guidelines had made it easier for schools which wanted to be healthy because they did not have to argue against something that would make the school money, she said.

Ms Goodhew asked why should schools have to worry about what was sold when students could buy food elsewhere. This prompted Ms Kedgley to ask if cigarettes should be sold too.

The loss of the guidelines had seen greater variation across schools when it came to providing quality food and many schools were reverting back to using chocolate for fund-raisers and McDonalds vouchers for rewards, Ms Kedgley said.

"Why do we have all these policies, why are we worried about diabetes and the fact that more and more young children are developing diabetes when we are selling food we know is contributing to it?... It's a complete disjoint."

She accused the Government of sabotaging its own policies aimed at improving academic achievement.