New guidelines aimed at eliminating the sale of unsafe foods in school canteens across the country are in the offing.
The proposed guidelines will target foods considered harmful to children’s health, including highly salty snacks and other unhealthy processed foods.
Authorities also plan to prohibit the use of signposts and advertisements promoting such foods near schools.
Officials say the move is intended to protect school-going children from lifestyle-related diseases that are increasingly being linked to poor eating habits.
A Senior Nutritionist at the Ministry of Health, Ms. Laura Turinawe, says the guidelines are being developed alongside efforts by the Ministry of Education to formulate a comprehensive school feeding policy.
According to Turinawe, ensuring that children have access to safe and nutritious meals while at school is essential for their growth, concentration in class, and long-term health.
“We are going to do the school canteen guideline so that we can protect the school environment in terms of access, and this will be done in one year, is is to make sure that it we do not want to continue seeing those signposts at the school gates,”Ms Turinawe said.
The government believes that regulating foods sold in and around schools will help promote healthier eating habits among learners and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases associated with excessive salt and unhealthy diets.
The new guidelines are expected to provide clear standards for school canteen operators and other food vendors serving children within school environments.
