Why the delay in implementing School Nutrition Policy

THE EDITOR, Madam:

AS FERVENT advocates for the welfare and well-being of our youth, we are compelled to draw attention to a matter of paramount importance that has lingered in the corridors of policy formulation for an exorbitant span: the School Nutrition Policy (SNP).

Since March 2021, the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network has ceaselessly urged the government to expedite the finalisation and subsequent implementation of the SNP. It is disconcerting, however, that despite our collective efforts and impassioned pleas, this policy remains trapped in the intricate web of the bureaucratic process.

In May 2022, there was a glimmer of hope when the Ministry of Education and Youth presented the SNP Green Paper for stakeholder feedback, including the very demographic it seeks to safeguard – the youth. A laudable step, indeed. After this, comprehensive stakeholder consultations ensued, encompassing the spectrum of individuals with vested interests, ranging from students, parents, school administrators, and vendors, to manufacturers. On September 28, 2022, a pivotal youth consultation session was hosted, where over 600 students were engaged. Since then, the boardrooms of government have fallen silent, leaving us in a disconcerting state of suspense.

We, the youth, implore the ministries of Education and Youth, and Health and Wellness, to treat the policymaking process with transparency, accountability and urgency. A year and six months have passed since the last whisper of progress on the policy has reached public ears. The palpable absence of updates from the Government of Jamaica is an insult to the collective consciousness of our nation, and it is imperative that we, as a society, demand answers.

In the interim, the rise of noncommunicable diseases among children and adolescents stands as a testament to the urgency of the matter at hand. Statistics indicate an alarming surge in health issues attributable, at least in part, to the lack of regulation of the school food environment. The time for action is overdue.

We are calling for the finalisation of the policy by the end of the current academic year, with implementation to begin ahead of the start of the next school year in September 2024. We implore the government to expedite the finalisation and implementation of the School Nutrition Policy. The upcoming school year beckons, and our youth deserve a scholastic environment that nurtures their physical health and fortifies their cognitive abilities.

The nation awaits, eager and expectant. Where, we fervently ask, is the School Nutrition Policy?

JAMAICA YOUTH ADVOCACY NETWORK

advocacy@youthadvocateja.org