Basic Education Department Concerned Over Rising Food Poisoning Cases Among School Children

Basic Education Department shared its concern over the rising number of food poisoning cases involving school-age children.

The department explained that these food poisoning incidents have disrupted teaching and learning since most cases happened during school hours. Because of this, time has been spent helping affected students get medical attention.

Furthermore, the psychological and social effects of these incidents are negatively impacting both students and teachers.

"In all the cases the learners have consumed items bought from vendors and spaza shops in and around schools. The Department of Basic Education appreciates the work being done by various government departments and other organs of state to address the matter," the department said, SA News reported.

The department emphasized that while some media reports have wrongly linked the food poisoning incidents to the National School Nutrition Program, no evidence supports this claim.

The National School Nutrition Program is an important government initiative that aligns with the National Development Plan 2030, aiming to combat hunger, malnutrition and deficiencies in essential nutrients.

This program is a vital part of Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL), which aims to remove barriers to education, enhance learning capabilities and provide access to education for students in targeted public primary, secondary and special schools.

The program provides nutritious meals to 9.7 million students on school days, with a total budget of R9.8 billion allocated for the 2024/25 financial year.

The department emphasized the importance of following five basic hygiene practices: Keep clean, separate cooked and raw food, cook thoroughly, keep food at a safe temperature and use safe water and raw materials.

It also stated that by following these principles, the system can safely provide healthy meals to over nine million learners every day without any life-threatening incidents. According to the Department, the media reports highlight many claims that hundreds of school children are suffering from food poisoning and that hospitalizations are increasing.

The department clarified that many of the incidents are related to food purchased from informal vendors. Another major issue is that school camps, tuck shops, or vendors do not follow the National School Nutrition Program's food guidelines because of a change in responsibility.

To address this, the department said that the School Governing Body and School Management Teams should take the lead in ensuring that healthy snacks and beverages are sold to students.