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Healthy start for students

MORE than 130 Victorian primary schools will be able to install bicycle sheds, create café-style school canteens, establish kitchen gardens, and upgrade their playgrounds in the first round of a $3.5 million State Government programme.
Education Minister John Lenders announced that 137 government primary schools would receive grants of up to $6,000 as part of a $780,000 first round of the four-year Go for your life Healthy Start in Schools programme.
Visiting Alphington Primary School with Northcote MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Education Fiona Richardson, Mr Lenders said the grants would give schools extra support to revamp canteens and provide more play areas for students to get fit and active during their time at school.
Works will include installation of bicycle sheds; the establishment of kitchen gardens to supply fresh fruit and vegetables to the school canteen and food technology classes; and re-surfacing of playing areas.
"The State Government is committed to the promotion of healthy eating and exercise in schools as part of a broader community emphasis on healthy living," Mr Lenders said.
"Along with families, schools play a crucial role in helping young people establish lifelong healthy lifestyle practices.
"Victoria was the first state or territory to mandate school sport and physical education in schools and now other states are following suit.
Mrs Richardson said Alphington Primary school would put its $6000 grant to good use.
"This grant will enable the Alphington Primary School to build a bike shed, as well as an outdoor eating area," she said.
"The school places an emphasis on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the Healthy Start grant will help the school community put the healthy lifestyle message into practice."
Other State Government initiatives aimed to encourage healthy lifestyles among students include:

The development of the Go for your life Healthy Canteen Kit;
The removal of high sugar content soft drinks from canteens;
Boosting fruit consumption by Victorian children by providing free fruit for students in Prep to Year 2 once a week, as part of an $11.1 million, four-year programme.