Junk foods overpower School Canteen Policy

by Carol Aloysius

Full implementation of the School Canteen Policy has been stalled by the absence of legislation to back it up, lack of food colour codes and; little support from canteen owners, Health Ministry sources said.

"What we now have is just a policy prepared by the Health and Education Ministries, which has still to be submitted to Cabinet. To prosecute offenders we need to first legalise it", Head, Schools Nutrition Programme, Dr. Ayesha Lokubalasooriya told the Sunday Observer.

She said while colour codes to identify beverages according to their sugar and calorie levels were now in force, there were no such codes for food. "Children should be able to make informed choices about the food they eat", she emphasised.

She said the reason canteen owners in certain leading schools did not adhere to the Canteen policy was because they were asked to pay 50 cents per student from their income to the school authorities. "To make up their profits, they sell rolls, pastries and cakes which prefer to local cereals. We have asked them to change their menus and introduce more varieties of healthy foods which they can consume in a short time and even take to their playgrounds," she said.

"The only other option is to extend the free midday meal from one million, to the entire school going population of 4 million, so that all school children will eat one healthy meal during school hours. Providing school children with nutritious home-cooked food is the best solution. If not, they will become obese and develop early diabetes", she warned.