14 May 2019
The Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) taking measures to protect school children from NCD diseases and obesity
In what I consider to be a positive move in the right direction the Anglican Church of Melanesian (ACOM) operated school throughout the country is proposing to ban the sales of all sugary and greasy (oil) food to their students.
News of the proposed ban was mentioned in an article in the Solomon Star newspaper today, from which I quote.
“ACOM has about 31 schools operating in the country ranging from ECE, primary, secondary and Rural Training Centres (RTC).
“Currently the ACOM education authority (EA) is working on a policy to ban all market vendors and parents from selling sugary drinks and junk food to students.
“The policy will be brought before the ACOM education board to be approved on June the 21st.
“ACOM EA is reminding all market vendors and parents that while they understand their contributions to the school and to make money for their daily livelihood, the health of the students is also paramount.
“ACOM EA encourages market vendors and parents to sell local foods, fruits and vegetables to the students as they are nutritious and healthy.
“Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) is the number one killer disease in the country and this measure is taken to save the future generation from these bad diseases.”
Clearly, ACOM is trying to encourage its students to live a healthier lifestyle by clamping down on the contents of school lunch bags.
It is hoped, once implemented, the food policy ban will restrict students from eating foods that are considered unhealthy and instead eat fresh healthy foods, including plenty of fruit.
Parents can do a lot to see their children eat healthy foods to prevent the onset of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and I hope all parents of school children will be encouraged to cut out unhealthy food their children are given to eat at school.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
