+- Teach the Brain Forums (https://www.teach-the-brain.org/forums)
+-- Forum: Education News (https://www.teach-the-brain.org/forums/Forum-Education-News)
+--- Forum: South Africa (https://www.teach-the-brain.org/forums/Forum-South-Africa)
+--- Thread: Nutrition programme halted in affected schools (/Thread-Nutrition-programme-halted-in-affected-schools)
Nutrition programme halted in affected schools - Newsroom - 13-11-2014
The Department of Basic Education says the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) has been halted in schools where reports of food contamination have emerged.
The department said the NSNP operates as normal in many parts of Limpopo, except to the affected schools located in the Sekhukhune district.
According to the department, more than 1.6 million learners in more than 3 800 Limpopo public schools benefit from the NSNP.
“There are 353 328 learners in the Sekhukhune District who benefit from the NSNP.
“The handlers only in the affected schools have been requested to stop preparing food for the learners in order for a thorough investigation to be conducted,†the department said.
The department said it is concerned about the contamination of food, and it is doing all it can to address the matter.
It added that no learner has died as a result of consuming food from the nutrition programme in the province, as reported in the media.
The department said government will continue to safeguard the unqualified Constitutional rights of learners to basic education, health, nutrition, and safety.
The department said it is working with the Limpopo Department of Education to ensure that service, health and environmental standards are maintained in the nutrition programme in the province, both at the school level and the warehouses of the NSNP main retailers.
“Last week, the participation of some main NSNP retailer were terminated, either because these retailers were implicated in the food contamination that resulted in learners being hospitalised, or their warehouses failed to meet the predetermined service, health and environmental standards,†the department said.
The department added that all learners who were taken to hospital or clinics for observation have been released.
It said the main NSNP suppliers have been directed not to buy and distribute foodstuff with a particular brand label, as foodstuff with that brand label, particularly dried beans, were found to be extremely problematic.
“The South African Police Services (SAPS) have also begun with an investigative inquiry into allegations, with a view to laying criminal charges,†the department said.
“Minister Angie Motshekga has taken over the executive responsibilities of the provincial department in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 to the extent necessary,†the department said.
The Education Ministry is set to ensure a compliant roll-out of the NSNP in Limpopo schools.
The department said it will introduce additional monitoring measures with school-based monitors to report daily on the implementation of the programme.
“The NSNP monitoring system is being reviewed to tighten critical stages of food supply chain, and to solicit the support of the Department of Health and Local Municipality.
“Relations will be strengthened with the Health Environmental Practitioners in Limpopo to draw lessons and replicate a process of establishing checks and balances on monitoring suppliers in all provinces,†the department added.
The department said it is currently reviewing the draft 2015/16 Grant Framework to be gazetted in the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) to incorporate a transversal procurement system to enhance the operations of the current system.
“A Technical Task Team has been established to work on the modalities of introducing the system throughout all provinces. An operational plan for the provincial roll-out is expected before the end of November 2014,†the department said. - SAnews.gov.za