Establishments that do not meet food safety conditions are prohibited from providing meals to schools in Vietnam

Establishments that do not meet food safety conditions are prohibited from providing meals to schools in Vietnam (Internet image) 

On November 21, 2022, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Official Dispatch 6141/BGDDT-GDTC on strengthening directions on ensuring hygiene and food safety in educational establishments.

In recent times, the work of ensuring hygiene and food safety in educational establishments has received attention and timely direction from localities, creating positive changes. However, at some educational establishments, food insecurity still occurs when organizing school meals for children and students (hereinafter referred to as learners), causing serious consequences.

The Ministry of Education and Training recommends that provinces and centrally run cities strengthen measures to ensure hygiene and food safety, specifically as follows:

- Strictly implement the provisions of the Law on Food Safety, Decree 155/2018/ND-CP, Joint Circular 08/2008/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT, Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT, Directive 4316/CT-BGDDT dated October 12, 2018, and current documents and guidance documents of the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health on ensuring hygiene and food safety.

- Propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibilities of educational administrators (emphasizing the role and responsibilities of heads of educational institutions), teachers, school staff, students, and parents about ensuring hygiene, food safety, and preventing food-borne diseases and food poisoning.

Establishments that do not meet food safety conditions are prohibited from providing meals to schools in Vietnam

- Strict control of food origin and stages: processing, preservation, and transportation of food in educational establishments; compliance with the three-step delivery and food inspection process; and storage of food samples according to regulations.

- Using cooked food and boiled water.

- It is strictly forbidden to allow food production and supply facilities that do not fully comply with food safety regulations and do not have a Certificate of eligibility for food safety to supply food or meals for schools.

- Strengthening medical work and school environmental sanitation to prevent and control diseases transmitted by unsafe water sources;

- Mobilizing a team of teachers, educational administrators, pupils and students to participate in cleaning the school grounds, clearing sewers, collecting waste around the school grounds, and cleaning and disinfecting classrooms.

- Making plans to maintain warranty and maintenance activities for clean water and sanitation facilities in educational establishments.

To enhance health care for children and students in Vietnam

- Strengthen close coordination between schools, families, and local authorities in educating and guiding children and students to comply with regulations on food safety, personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation.

- Ensure proper nutrition combined with increased physical activity appropriate to the age and physical condition of children and students and the conditions of the children and students' families to improve health and prevent and control epidemics and non-communicable diseases.

- Strengthen interdisciplinary inspection and testing of Education - Health, mobilize the participation of the school's representative board of parents and students in supervising student health care, food safety, and school hygiene at educational establishments;

- Detect and promptly handle violations of food safety and sanitary conditions in schools to ensure the health of children and students.

More details can be found in Official Dispatch 6141/BGDDT-GDTC dated November 21, 2022.

Nhu Mai

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