The Education Ministry has failed in its responsibilities as its Schools Meals Program has caused children to fall ill, according to the Timor-Leste Coalition for Education (TLCE).
TLCE program manager Matias dos Santos said he was aware of three incidents in which children contracted food poisoning after eating state supplied food.
The most recent incident was at Comoro’s 30 de Agostu primary school, he said. Prior to that, incidents were recorded in Baucau district and in Lautem.
The three cases were almost identical, dos Santos said.
He said the food poisoning was a result of purchasing poor quality or expired foods.
Mouldy rice had been served to children, he said.
He urged the Education Ministry to change the menu and serve rice, fruits, vegetables, milk and bread.
“This would be better than every day consuming poor quality food and chicken full of chemicals,” he said.
“This is what has made the children get sick.”
Commission F (health, education, culture, veterans’ affairs and gender equality) member Virgilio da Costa Hornai said there had been no problems with the Schools Meals Program in the past when the administration of the program was the responsibility of individual schools.
Problems arose when the food was cooked by parents groups, he said.
Deputy Education Minister for primary schooling Dulce de Jesus Soares denied there were problems with the way the Education Ministry ran the program.
Food preparation was not handled by ministry employees, she said.
She said those who cooked the food which caused 30 de Agostu students to fall ill would receive food preparation training.
Soares said she was not aware of the allegations of mouldy rice.
