Tasmania’s free school breakfast program is set to reach more students next year, with the Government confirming that another 36 public schools will join the initiative from Term 1. The decision follows an Expression of Interest process and reflects rising demand for practical support that helps students start the day with enough energy to learn.
The program, delivered in partnership with Variety Tasmania, is backed by a four-year investment of $6.5 million through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. It already operates in 40 schools across the state and has been credited by educators with lifting attendance, improving focus in classrooms and easing some of the pressure on families dealing with food costs.
Education Minister Jo Palmer visited Glenorchy Primary School, one of the new schools set to come on board, to confirm the expansion. She said feedback from participating schools has been consistently encouraging, particularly around the way a reliable breakfast can improve behaviour and lift readiness to learn.
Many families are managing rising household expenses, and the Government sees the breakfast program as one way to remove barriers that can affect students before they even reach a classroom. Palmer said extending the program moves the state closer to offering breakfast in every government school, a long-term aim the department has been working towards.
Research around school meals is generally aligned with the claims made by the program’s supporters. Studies in Australia and overseas have linked regular access to breakfast with improved concentration, steadier attendance and better learning outcomes. While the effects can vary between communities, schools involved in these initiatives often report that even small, consistent routines help create calmer starts to the day.
The next 36 schools scheduled to join the program are spread across regional, rural and urban areas, suggesting the support is being taken up in communities with different needs. For some, the breakfast can act as a simple daily anchor. For others, it provides a buffer during periods of financial strain. Critics of broad school-based programs sometimes question whether government funding should be directed more narrowly, but supporters argue that universal access removes stigma and maintains a sense of routine for students who rely on it.
What is clear is that uptake continues to rise. The expansion means 76 government schools will be part of the program from 2026, and Variety Tasmania will continue working with school staff and volunteers to provide meals that are healthy, consistent and simple to run.
The schools joining the program in 2026 are: Ravenswood Heights Primary School, Port Dalrymple School, East Tamar Primary School, Waverley Primary School, St Marys District School, Ringarooma Primary School, Campbell Town District High School, Mowbray Heights Primary School, Scottsdale Primary School, Exeter High School, Lilydale District School, St Leonards Primary School, Cressy District High School, Smithton High School, Havenview Primary School, Hillcrest Primary School, Ulverstone Secondary College, Reece High School, Table Cape Primary School, Natone Primary School, Somerset Primary School, Ulverstone Primary School, King Island District High School, JRLF Senior School, Rokeby Primary School, Cosgrove High School, Bayview Secondary College, Warrane Primary School, Glenorchy Primary School, Longford Primary School, Tasman District School, Orford Primary School, Southern Support, Fairview Primary School, Moonah Primary School and Clarendon Vale Primary School.
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