Termination of contract a right move, says KGBS
SIBU: The Education Ministry’s move to terminate the services of food contractors in residential schools found to be the source of food poisoning cases augurs well with Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union ( KGBS).
Its president Ahmad Malie said this was a step in the right direction to ensure students were provided with healthy food according to the standards set.
“This is also a quality control measure on food preparations for students in residential schools.
“In this regard, contractors involved will always be compelled to ensure that food is prepared in accordance with the health standards and specifications set.
“This will once and for all prevent the occurrence of food poisoning cases among students in hostels, like what have happened before,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Ahmad was responding to Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid’s recent statement that the ministry would immediately terminate the services of contractors under the Cooked Food Programme in residential schools if they were found to be the source of food poisoning cases.
Mahdzir reportedly said the ministry would include that clause in the contract for food operators and suppliers, as part of the three scopes for improvement and specifications for these contractors, to come into effect from June 1.
He was further quoted as saying the ministry had to take that step to prevent food poisoning cases from recurring, with 98 cases last year, an increase of 35 from the previous year.
He also reportedly said that investigations conducted by the Health Ministry found that among the causes of the problem was food prepared in the hostel kitchens.
On this, Ahmad said: “The move is indeed timely because these days many children prefer to go to residential schools.”
To alleviate the concern of parents concerning food poisoning cases, the intention of Education Ministry to enforce the regulations was timely and KGBS would give its full support in the best interest of the students, he said.