Tuck shops rewarded for adherence to School Nutrition Policy |19 January 2018
Some tuck shop operators based at schools have been congratulated and rewarded for their good practices in 2017.
This took place during an award presentation ceremony held yesterday and organised by the nutrition unit of the Health Care Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MOEHRD).
It forms part of efforts to bolster compliance to the nationally recognised School Nutrition Policy.
Tuck shop operators Doris Appasamy (Mont Fleuri primary school) and Jenita Labrosse (Anse Etoile primary school) received the gold award for doing exceptionally well in implementing the policy.
The award presentation ceremony, a first since the introduction of the School Nutrition Policy, was held at the Sheikh Khalifa Diagnostic Centre at the Seychelles Hospital.
In all, 27 tuck shop operators based on the school premises were recognised for abiding by the guidelines, standards and recommendations of the School Nutrition Policy in 2017. Ten of them received the silver award and fifteen others received the bronze award.
It was the school nutrition committee made up of representatives from the health ministry and from MOEHRD who chose the award winning recipients from the 44 tuck shop operators on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.
During the ceremony yesterday, a newly introduced ‘traffic light system’ for food sales by tuck shop operators was revealed. The new mandatory system which will be implemented in all primary and secondary schools as from the new school term for 2018, will divide foods to be sold in tuck shops into three categories: high (green), moderate (amber) and low (red) nutritional values.
Foods falling under the green light are foods with high nutritional values and they can be sold in unlimited amounts representing 70% of the menu. Foods in the amber zone are foods with moderate nutritional values and they should be carefully selected with only 2 items per day amounting to only 30% of the menu. Foods in the red zone are foods with very low nutritional values and they will not be on sale at all in tuck shops. With the exception of local fruit juices, all other fruit juices have also been banned for sale or use on all schools premises.
Tuck shop owners will be given a three-month grace period to finish their stock as the new system takes full effect as from the second school term.
The award presentation ceremony was attended by Health Minister Jean-Paul Adam, health principal secretary Bernard Valentin, chief executive of the Health Care Agency, Danny Louange, health central management team, officials from MOEHRD, schools representatives, tuck shop operators, partners and sponsors.
Launched in 2008 and implemented in all state schools and in some private schools, the National School Nutrition Policy is a joint document between MOEHRD and the Ministry of Health which serves as a guideline for nutrition in all schools. The policy is currently being revised and will ensure greater provision of healthier snacks for school children and will reduce availability of less favourable choices in the school’s tuck shops.
In his address, Minister Adam said that the event was in line with the theme ‘My health, my responsibility’ as health is about everybody making informed choices about how they live their lives and how those choices affect their health and affect the lives of people who depend on them and people around them. Regardless of the few challenges, he hailed the successes of the nutrition policy due to the collaborative approach by all stakeholders, especially the tuck shop operators.
“It is about your willingness to bring about changes and to support the children because ultimately your work by abiding by the policy it’s not just a question of following rules that have been set, it is about supporting children, about supporting families to grow in a healthy manner,” he said as he congratulated them.
Minister Adam added that he recognised the multiple difficulties they face operating their tuck shops in relation to abiding by the policy in terms of children themselves not asking for the healthy options as first element with parents also not asking for healthy options as the first priority.
“We also know that sometime, sourcing the healthy options from businesses is not always the easiest. But the reality is that by implementing a coherent policy and by working together, we will all achieve more and we will better support our young people,” he noted.
He urged all stakeholders not to lose sight of the scale of the challenge as obesity remains one of the biggest challenges in Seychelles.
Minister Adam noted that the Global Youth Health survey done in 2015 shows that 16% of school children are overweight and 9% are obese. It means that 25% of our children have an unhealthy body weight.
“Another key element in the survey shows that the consumption of fruits and vegetables at least five times a day have declined between 2007 and 2015. Also 70% of our children are consuming fast foods at least once a week and it is no secret why we are having a problem of obesity. We are consuming the wrong things,” he said.
He said we should be aware of the spending patterns of young people as the survey also shows that 51% of students were spending over R40 per day on various unhealthy foods.
“So we are determined to work with you, tuck shop operators and with all partners, to give our young people healthy options in the schools and also more widely in our society,” he said, urging parents to verify what their children are consuming at school and to the teachers to work with the tuck shop operators so that there is mutual understanding on what food items are to be sold at the schools.
He urged those not awarded to abide by the policy and improve their service and to the award winners to raise their standards.
Gold awardee Doris Appassamy from Mont Fleuri primary school who had been in the tuck shop business for the last fifteen years said: “I feel very happy and it’s hard work that I am where I am today and I hope to keep the award next year. Before, I did not care about what I was selling and with the advice and education I got from the authority, it’s what have got us to slowly change to what we are today.”
She added that with juices being banned as from this year in schools, tuck shop operators should and will adapt to the situation as they want to help make a difference.
Jenita Labrosse from Anse Etoile primary school and with 8 years in the tuck shop business said she was happy to get the gold award and was thankful for the various tuck shop meetings she had attended that had motivated her to change to selling healthy items in relation to health and safety.
“I am very concerned about obesity as myself I don’t like fatty foods and this is what had helped me not to sell things that will make children overweight,” she said.
Her challenges is getting certain items such as fruits to sell and others which are expensive but she will do her very best to keep up her standard and to continue to sell healthy foods to children.
She said that to replace juices banned in schools, she will try other options such as selling local juices, flavoured milk, liquid yoghurt etc…
The full list of 2017 tuck shop awardees aere:
Gold Award - Doris Appasamy (Mont Fleuri primary), Jenita Labrosse (Anse Etoile primary). They received their prizes from Minister Adam.
Silver Award - Rita Dine, Steven Mondon (Anse Royale secondary), James Servina, Florence Belle (Mont Fleuri secondary), Winnie Fontaine (Anse Boileau primary), Vanessa Melanie (La Rosière primary), Florence Albest (Bel Eau primary), Annie Payet (Au Cap primary), Jeanne D’Arc Mousbe (Anse Aux Pins primary), Merna Labonte (English River secondary). They received their prizes from PS Valentin.
Bronze Award - Marie Celine Julienne (Cascade primary), Yvon Low Thion (Belonie secondary), Elsie Adrienne (Beau Vallon primary), Noella Bristol (Pointe Larue primary), Clifford Legras (Pointe Larue secondary), Josianne Camille (Plaisance primary), Margret Savy, Cecile Vidot (Independent school), Marie Claire Cedras (Beau Vallon secondary), Gary and Brigitte Rose (Baie Lazare primary), Yvonne Tirant, Jeanine Mousbe (Plaisance secondary), Eveline Laval (Port Glaud primary), Claudette Jean Baptiste (Bel Ombre primary) Lena Rose (Takamaka primary). They received their prizes from MOEHRD representative Savinia Morel.