Education authorities in Masaka district have launched investigations into allegations of poor quality and unsafe food served in schools, following concerns raised by various stakeholders.
According to Gerald Nsambu, the Masaka District Education Officer, they received intelligence reports suggesting that some school administrators are compromising the quality of food to cut down on expenses. Nsambu highlighted concerns about the adulteration and contamination of food with unsafe substances, including maize bran and other grain byproducts, which are mixed into maize flour used for students’ meals.
Nsambu emphasized that inspectors are actively collecting food samples from schools and paying close attention to students’ feedback on the quality of the meals. He warned that stringent measures would be taken against those found culpable, with police involvement in the investigations.
“We are going to be tough on the culprits to ensure the safety of the learners, ” assured Gerald Nsambu, Masaka District Education Officer.
Nsambu further revealed reports of cooks using unsafe additives while preparing meals, urging school administrators to exercise caution when hiring kitchen staff to prevent contamination during cooking.
These investigations come in response to previous incidents of food poisoning reported in schools across the country, particularly last term, leading to student hospitalizations. While some cases were attributed to poor food storage, others were suspected acts of deliberate contamination.
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has been working to improve food safety standards, but direct interventions at the consumer level are still limited.
Records from the Ministry of Health indicate that Uganda registers approximately 1.3 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, representing 14% of all reported cases treated by the Ministry.