Sale of harmful foods continues unabated in school canteens
Education department fails to implement food authority’s directives banning soft drinks, snacks
Education department fails to implement food authority’s directives banning soft drinks, snacks. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Some months ago, the Sindh Food Authority (SFA) had issued a notification banning the sale of carbonated drinks, chips, snacks and other edible items in school canteens. At the time, the move was hailed to be a step in the right direction, aimed at mitigating the risks of harmful foods being consumed by the younger generation.
Unfortunately, the notification turned out to be a waste of paper. No steps have been taken for its implementation. The main reason for this lies in the lack of coordination between the provincial government's own departments.
The ban
The SFA had raised the issue of substandard and unhygienic products being sold in the canteens of private and public schools, colleges and universities across the province, endangering the health of students.
When the SFA's scientific panel recommended the ban on local banaspati ghee, ajinomoto (monosodium glutamate), locally-manufactured cooking oil, sodium hydrosulphate and hydrochloride used in sweets in a conference held on September 4, it also recommended the ban on carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, chips and snacks sold at the school canteens of schools and colleges.
Subsequently on September 5, the authority issued a notification, banning the sale of the above-mentioned items. Copies of the notification were also sent to the chief secretary, education and home secretaries.
Over three months have passed since, but the sale of the harmful food items at canteens continues unabated.
For his part, SFA Director Abrar Sheikh claimed that when their inspection teams visited public schools and colleges, they were told that they hadn't received intimation of any such directives from the Schools and Colleges secretaries.
Last week, one SFA inspection team visited the Karachi University campus, where it took action against 12 canteens selling substandard food items, according to the director. One canteen was sealed for selling expired drinks, while several others were fined between Rs5,000 and Rs30,000. A final notice was also issued to the canteens to ensure compliance with the SFA's rules and regulations within 15 days.
Poisonous food: Some sweets sold in Kohat may cause cancer
The obstacles
SFA director Sheikh told The Express Tribune that the provincial education department had issued no notification to convey the authority's directives to educational institutions. This, despite the fact that the SFA has sent repeated reminders to the Colleges and Schools secretaries.
For its part, an education department official claimed that the SFA's notification had been forwarded to district education officers across the province around a month ago. Asked about the lack of implementation, the official, who requested not to be named, said that he was unaware of the status of its implementation but there was a chance that the district-level officials had not passed on the orders.
On the other hand, the Directorate of Private Schools has passed on the orders, forbidding the sale of restricted items in light of the SFA's instructions.
Share sacrifice : Keeping meat in refrigerator harmful
According to Sheikh, the SFA is carrying out inspections of canteens in private schools and universities. However, the education department's nonchalant attitude has put the lives of students at risk, he said.
According to the education department's statistics, there are 42,000 schools registered in Sindh, where over 4.2 million students are currently enrolled. In contrast, over 48,000 students are studying in private schools across the province.
Further, the province also has over 270 colleges, where 80,000 students are currently enrolled.
With these numbers in mind, the health of over 0.5m children of Sindh is at risk due to the indifference of the education department that has failed to take steps to implement the SFA's directives.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2018.
Some months ago, the Sindh Food Authority (SFA) had issued a notification banning the sale of carbonated drinks, chips, snacks and other edible items in school canteens. At the time, the move was hailed to be a step in the right direction, aimed at mitigating the risks of harmful foods being consumed by the younger generation.
Unfortunately, the notification turned out to be a waste of paper. No steps have been taken for its implementation. The main reason for this lies in the lack of coordination between the provincial government's own departments.
The ban
The SFA had raised the issue of substandard and unhygienic products being sold in the canteens of private and public schools, colleges and universities across the province, endangering the health of students.
When the SFA's scientific panel recommended the ban on local banaspati ghee, ajinomoto (monosodium glutamate), locally-manufactured cooking oil, sodium hydrosulphate and hydrochloride used in sweets in a conference held on September 4, it also recommended the ban on carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, chips and snacks sold at the school canteens of schools and colleges.
Subsequently on September 5, the authority issued a notification, banning the sale of the above-mentioned items. Copies of the notification were also sent to the chief secretary, education and home secretaries.
Over three months have passed since, but the sale of the harmful food items at canteens continues unabated.
For his part, SFA Director Abrar Sheikh claimed that when their inspection teams visited public schools and colleges, they were told that they hadn't received intimation of any such directives from the Schools and Colleges secretaries.
Last week, one SFA inspection team visited the Karachi University campus, where it took action against 12 canteens selling substandard food items, according to the director. One canteen was sealed for selling expired drinks, while several others were fined between Rs5,000 and Rs30,000. A final notice was also issued to the canteens to ensure compliance with the SFA's rules and regulations within 15 days.
Poisonous food: Some sweets sold in Kohat may cause cancer
The obstacles
SFA director Sheikh told The Express Tribune that the provincial education department had issued no notification to convey the authority's directives to educational institutions. This, despite the fact that the SFA has sent repeated reminders to the Colleges and Schools secretaries.
For its part, an education department official claimed that the SFA's notification had been forwarded to district education officers across the province around a month ago. Asked about the lack of implementation, the official, who requested not to be named, said that he was unaware of the status of its implementation but there was a chance that the district-level officials had not passed on the orders.
On the other hand, the Directorate of Private Schools has passed on the orders, forbidding the sale of restricted items in light of the SFA's instructions.
Share sacrifice : Keeping meat in refrigerator harmful
According to Sheikh, the SFA is carrying out inspections of canteens in private schools and universities. However, the education department's nonchalant attitude has put the lives of students at risk, he said.
According to the education department's statistics, there are 42,000 schools registered in Sindh, where over 4.2 million students are currently enrolled. In contrast, over 48,000 students are studying in private schools across the province.
Further, the province also has over 270 colleges, where 80,000 students are currently enrolled.
With these numbers in mind, the health of over 0.5m children of Sindh is at risk due to the indifference of the education department that has failed to take steps to implement the SFA's directives.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2018.