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James Debono
Junk food is still being sold in Maltese schools. In spite of the fact that a World Health Organisation study published in April has put Malta on top of the overweight and obesity charts of 34 countries, hamburgers, chips, pastizzi, pizza, soft-drinks and doughnuts are being sold in schools. This was confirmed by a number of teachers contacted by MaltaToday.
This issue has made headlined in the UK where celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has set in motion a schools meal revolution to get rid of junk food from schools.
In Malta, teacher and Rabat mayor Frank Fabri denounces a situation where junk food is still being sold from school tuck shops.
Fabri told MaltaToday that healthy alternatives like water, cereals, yoghurts, nuts, salads and fresh fruit are not available in most schools.
In the UK the government responded to the public outcry that followed Oliver’s campaign by rushing out an announcement this month promising to impose new nutritional standards on caterers and improve all children's school meals.
While the provision of healthy school meals or breakfasts is scientifically proven to boost the performance of school children, Maltese schools do not offer school meals.
Although school meals are not available school children can buy snacks from tuckshops.
MaltaToday asked the Department of Education whether junk food is allowed in government schools. The Director of the Education Department responded by sending MaltaToday the terms of contract regulating the renting of tuckshops in schools.
The contract binding the operators running these tuckshops recommends the sale of water, fresh fruit juices, nuts, dried and fresh fruit. The same contract prohibits the sale of toffee, burgers, fried food and junk food in general.
MaltaToday has checked whether junk food is actually being sold in government schools.
It seems that in schools were the tuckshop is run by the school, junk food is not being sold. Carlo Diacono junior lyceum in Zejtun is an example worth emulating. In this particular school healthy food is presented in an attractive way.
On the other hand in schools were this service is sub contracted to private individuals as is the case at the Liceo Vassalli, junk food is still being sold. The situation in Area Secondary Schools is even more lamentable than that in Junior Lyceums.
Frank Fabri denounces a situation where most schools are turning a blind eye to the sale of junk food.
“Ironically while the Home Economics Department is doing a brilliant job educating our children about the benefits of healthy diet, children are finding the same products that are blacklisted in home economics lessons available in the school tuck shop,” said Fabri.
MaltaToday has also been informed that recently “doughnut day” has been held in a Church School. During this activity free doughnuts were distributed to children. MaltaToday contacted Father Dominic V Scerri, the Curia’ representative for church schools. Fr Scerri informed MaltaToday that “where there are school tuck shops, these are run according to the particular policies the schools concerned adopt; such shops are the sole responsibility of the school and it is they who have to decide what sort of food is allowed.”
He also told MaltaToday that when specific surveys were held to determine the kind of food sold on school premises, it resulted that junkfood was not allowed in church schools.
jdebono@newsworksltd.com
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