Sale of food on school premises suspended – GDE
As cases of foodborne illnesses among school learners increase, the Gauteng Department of Education provided a statement of guidelines to prevent more incidents.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has sent notice and instructed schools to suspend the sale of food within and around school premises until further notice.
A recent statement issued by the GDE has requested schools to prohibit the sale of food to learners due to the increase in foodborne illnesses. These illnesses have been shown to affect learners across various schools in the province.
“We are implementing immediate measures to safeguard the health and well-being of our learners. Schools and school-governing bodies (SGBs) are instructed to closely monitor and regulate vendors, tuckshops, and other outlets that sell food to learners,” the GDE stated.
Furthermore, they mentioned schools should ensure that only nutritional food is sold on the premises and no expired or repackaged food products should be sold. Schools should also ensure that they comply with Regulation 638 of 22 June 2018, which governs the safety and acceptability of food.
The department also reminded schools and SGBs of prior guidelines. They emphasised all food vendors and traders must obtain a Certificate of Acceptability by contacting their local Health Department’s Environmental Health Division before selling any food to learners. Also, food premises or stalls must be inspected and approved before operating.
“The department calls on schools to enforce these guidelines rigorously. Instances of non-compliance must be reported immediately to both the District Office and the Department of Health,” the statement read.
They also asked parents to rather pack lunch for their children instead of giving them lunch money until the relevant authorities issue updated guidelines.
“Additionally, schools are encouraged to engage community organisations, education stakeholders and small business associations to foster collaborative efforts aimed at preventing further incidents of foodborne illness,” concluded Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane.
