Ministry of Education Will Continue Inspections of Suppliers of School Food Programs Next Week

Ministry of Education Will Continue Inspections of Suppliers of School Food Programs Next Week
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic  1/4/2012

The General Directorate of Student Well Being (DGBE in Spanish) of the Ministry of Education will carry out 450 analyses of milk and bread products by taking random samples at 104 bakeries and 6 milk and juice processing plants which are supplying the School Food Program. The objective of the inspections is to continue improving the quality of food provided by the school food programs.

Of these studies, 250 will be carried out between January and June which covers the remainder of the 2011-2012 academic year. Another 200 will be done in the first quarter of the next school year, 2012-2013.

Of these studies, 250 will be carried out between January and June which covers the remainder of the 2011-2012 academic year. Another 200 will be done in the first quarter of the next school year, 2012-2013.

The process will involve some 300 inspections of bakeries and 35 milk processing plants with two separate inspections of each bakery. The rest will be done on a bi-weekly basis in milk processing plants and will begin on Tuesday January 19, the same day students around the country will return to school after the Christmas and Three Kings holiday break.

In addition, the department of Quality Assurance of the DGBE will place emphasis on the fulfillment of the School Food Program (PAE in Spanish) in the Marginal Urban and Border areas as it inspects 5,062 schools included in this program which serves 1.5 million students from elementary to high school.

These inspections are meant to provide follow-up of food storage conditions and the reception of food deliveries to verify that these are being done within the norms that guarantee food safety.

During January and February, the Department of Nutrition and Health will oversee the mothers who are doing the cooking for the Border School Food Program centers in order to guarantee the correct elaboration of the chosen school menus. This is part of the orientation and training being offered in 21 workshops underway recently in the 17 school districts where the program is being carried out. 

The Department of Nutrition and Health will undertake a menu review, a food pyramid and training workshops for directors, assistants and mothers who cook for the Real School Food Program.

As part of the School Food Program follow-up and, in accordance with the Education Ministry´s Social Dialogue, there will be four national meetings with suppliers this year (one per trimester) and two meetings with school directors and members of the Parents and Friends of the Schools Associations (APMAE in Spanish) to understand their considerations on the quality and service of school food.