The Kenya National Union Teachers (KNUT) has asked boarding schools across the country to establish a unit that will be mandated to ensure the quality of food that learners consume on a daily basis.
KNUT National Executive Committee (NEC) member Sammy Bor says with the unit in place, cases of learners eating contaminated food will decline.
In an interview with Uasin Gishu News, Bor who doubles up as the KNUT Chepkoilel branch secretary also called for schools to maintain a high level of cleanliness, especially in the dining hall and kitchen.
“Schools need to be keen on the cleanliness of grains they buy. At times the grains are not well-dried and that might cause them to have aflatoxin. This is one of the reasons we need to have a quality assurance unit that looks at the grains and ensures they meet the required standards,” Bor said.
“The management must also maintain a high level of hygiene not only in the dining rooms and kitchen but also where the food is stored,” he added.
The teachers’ union NEC member was speaking at a time at least two schools in western Kenya have been closed following infections among learners.
Contamination of food and water
Mukumu girls were the most affected with three students and a teacher left dead as a result of the infections.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicated that over 600 learners had also been admitted to various health facilities as a result of the infections.
It has since been revealed that the infection was a result of the contamination of food and water.
Bor further wants the Ministry of Health to intensify inspection of schools to ensure they meet minimum hygiene requirements.
“We need to see the Public Health officers working. They should do regular assessments like on a weekly basis so that we don’t see a repeat of such incidences,” he insisted.
