Healthy living advocates are giving their full support for the expansion of the School Nutrition Policy as students prepare to resume classes next week, but they say more education on the policy is needed.
The Barbados School Nutrition Policy which was introduced to schools during the academic year 2022-2023, is expected to see further integration into all schools across the island, as the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders seek to drive better eating habits among the nation’s children.
When contacted, Programme manager of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme at the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Francine Charles, said that the group was more than pleased with the promised expansion to the new health policy in schools.
“We continue to applaud the ministry’s efforts and diligence towards being ready for term three. The coalition and a number of other organisations have been involved before the last term was completed. We were involved in helping with sensitisation with schools and parents, and that is set to continue when the school term opens,” she told Barbados TODAY.
“This is a work in progress and we are looking forward to seeing all of the various stakeholders who are involved being very supportive, because it will be for our children’s health.”
When asked about the levels of cooperation being received from canteen operators, Charles admitted that the process of change would not be an easy one, but the signs so far were highly encouraging.
“In terms of the canteen concessionaires’ sensitisation meeting that we went to, we were highly encouraged. There will be challenges with the changes and transitions that can always prove difficult, but what we saw was great support from the canteens. They saw the reasons for the change, and I think it’s a matter of everybody trying to support and to come up with innovations and ideas.”
Charles added: “In terms of the vendors outside of the school, that is a work in progress, and the ministry would be better able to guide as to how that is going to be dealt with.”
Meanwhile, youth advocate Krista Maloney, said that while the policy was greatly needed to help address the growing health complications being seen among children, many students still did not fully understand the complete structure of the new guidance.
“While I advocate and promote the policy, I try to help the children to understand that the change is not going to happen overnight. Your eating habits will not change overnight. I think a lot of children are not understanding that they are not going to get it, right off the bat. They are thinking that the Ministry of Education and Health implemented this policy and we need to be perfect right off the bat. I think a lot are thinking along those lines.”
Maloney suggested that more in depth education is needed.
“The policy needs to be advertised and promoted more because a lot of children are still confused. They can’t really make the connection between nutrition and health and if I don’t eat properly, how it’s going to affect me later.
“We have to keep emphasising the nutritional knowledge,” she added.
(SB)
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