GRANGE HILL, Westmoreland — Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has warned that action could be taken against administrators of public schools who are not adhering to the National School Nutrition Policy (NSNP).

The policy is aimed at improving student health; curbing childhood obesity; and regulating food environment across all public and private early childhood, primary, secondary, and special education institutions.

“Unfortunately, just a small percentage of schools are actually complying now, and it’s something the [Education] Minister [Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon] and I are very concerned about. And it’s something that I believe we’re going to have to be more drastic [about] in terms of the action on those who have the responsibility to implement who are not implementing,” Tufton said as he addressed an NSNP-certification ceremony on Thursday afternoon at Grange Hill Primary School in Westmoreland.

“It is important, because we are compromising the development of our youngsters to become productive, healthy adults later on in life. And we see it every day in the hospitals, in the health centres — premature illness, premature mortality, young people having diabetes, hypertension — because they are neither playing enough because of the addiction to social media, nor are they consuming a healthy meal or a healthy diet in the course of any particular day. But it can be done,” added Tufton.

The comprehensive NSNP is being executed over a five-year period with multi-sectoral oversight from the ministries of education, health and wellness, agriculture, and local government.

Following the ceremony Tufton told the Jamaica Observer that the majority of the more than 1,000 public schools are in breach and this remains a concern.

While Tufton was unable to say what action could be taken against the leadership of public schools who fail to adhere to the NSNP, he pointed to an appraisal system that currently exists in the education sector.

“I can’t speak clearly about education…[but] there are appraisals that take place periodically. Some of those are universal. In health, we have a board, and we have public bodies. There are certain requirements for them, and those requirements are important to be filled,” said Tufton, who also pointed to the recently announced accountability framework.

“We’re going to be reporting on it, and it’s going to show the entities that are compliant and those that are not. They’re going to be given some timeline to correct, and frankly speaking, at some point boards are going to have to be held responsible. The minister appoints the board; the board provides oversight,” explained Tufton.

“We now have to, in developing policy, hold policy implementers accountable. And that’s another level of leadership that is required — to be held accountable. And I think, again, whether in health or education or anywhere else, we’re going to have to step up the pace on that because what people need now in this country is less announcements and more implementation,” added Tufton.

He argued that more needs to be done to ensure that school leaders implement the NSNP.

“If they are hamstrung for whatever reason we must have a conversation about that, but implementation has to be where it’s at now,” declared Tufton as he applauded Grange Hill Primary for achieving certification under the policy.

“If some schools have the policy and are implementing it successfully, like Grange Hill Primary here in Westmoreland — 700 students, a cafeteria, four people working in it — [and] they have their suppliers screened, they are talking to the vendors on the outside, and they are complying to the extent of meeting the requirements and getting certified by us and by the Ministry of Education, it means that others can do it,” added Tufton.

Parliamentary secretary in the education ministry Senator Marlon Morgan, in his remarks at the ceremony, called on school gate vendors to partner with the education sector in ensuring the success of the NSNP.

“Ensure that the offerings that [you] are making available are in keeping with our thrust as a Government, and encourage the children to moderate… Yes, we are aware that the kids will go out and buy little sweet treats and so on now and again, but ensure, school gate vendors, as best as possible and as far as possible, that you moderate whatever it is that they come to you to purchase,” encouraged Morgan, who also called on students to develop healthy consumption habits.

Joan Johnson, acting principal of the 102-year-old school — which started as Cushy Walk Elementary — explained the importance of the NSNP to the school.

“For Grange Hill Primary the National School Nutrition Programme is not just feeding, it is improving attendance — students come for the meal. It improves concentration and energy in class, reduces illness-related absenteeism, and supports food security for vulnerable families,” stated Johnson.