In order to improve children's health, the Central Board of
Secondary Education has issued a circular to the affiliated schools in the
country to take off junk food from their canteen's menu. Not only this, they
also need to check lunch boxes of children and create awareness about
nutritious food while monitoring their health.
This was issued after a report was published by the Ministry
of Women and Child Development addressing this issue i.e. consumption of foods
High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) and promotion of healthy snacks in schools.
The circular issued by CBSE states that schools needs to ensure that their
canteen does not serve HFSS food. Also, they need to take steps to ensure that
around 200 meters of the school, HFSS is not available.
How the schools will ensure all this? They need to form a
school canteen management committee as per CBSE. It will be a seven member
committee including teachers, parents and students who will decide upon what
food needs to be available, checking quality, studying canteen infrastructure
requirements and designing physical activity program for students.
Schools further need
to create awareness about the nutritious food available by celebrating
nutrition week from September 1 to 7 apart from forming committee and checking
on food quality. Schools should constantly monitor the health of students by
checking their height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI). They need to discuss
and provide counseling to students and parents in parent-teacher meeting.
Schools need to check lunch boxes which will remove consumption of unhealthy
stuff. Schools in order to achieve these goals can hire nutritionists and start
physical activities like yoga.
Tags: Cbse
Health Of Students
Women And Child Development
Body Mass Index
