UNION COLLEGE
Santa Cruz, Laguna
MASTER OF ARTS
Major in Educational Administration and Supervision
NAME: CHRISSA JOY MATEO
SUBJECT CODE: GA-2006 (School Finance and Educational Legislation)
PROFESSOR: ZOILA BADULIS, Ed. D.
REFLECTION PAPER ON SCHOOL CANTEEN FUND
At first glance one might tend to overlook the humble school canteen, but on
reflection I think most people would agree that the canteen is one of the most important
parts of school life. In this post I will consider two ways in which school canteens play
indispensable roles in the life and functioning of schools. School administrators need to
have a definite canteen policy, must establish canteen committees to seek to improve
service and food quality and must work closely with canteen operators.
The two main ways in which school canteens have an impact on school life are in
supporting teaching through proper nutrition and health practices; including the provision
of special dietary requirements for some students and staff, and in being sectors
of schools which can easily become trouble zones if specific measures are not put in
place to prevent this. A large proportion of students eat in school canteens every
day. Since they cannot leave the school during the day they constitute a captive market
for canteen operators. This, however, should never lead to exploitation through high
prices or poor quality food and drinks. Schools have a duty to feed students and staff
properly. Administrators and canteen committees must ensure that school canteens
meet national standards for food preparation, storage, hygiene and safety. Failure to do
so would result in serious health problems for staff and students who consume the fare.
Well planned school canteens support student development and learning. They
provide adequate nutrition which gives students and staff high energy levels and prevents
diseases, such as obesity and anemia, which are related to poor diet. Progressive
canteens also forge synergistic links with schools’ food and nutrition departments and
agricultural science departments, where they exist. School canteens should serve food
and drinks which are low in saturated fats, sugar, salt, and food dyes. More fruit, fruit
juices, vegetables and whole grain bread should be on the menu. There should be fewer
soft drinks, no energy drinks or sports drinks, no alcohol, and no deep-fried food. It will
be necessary to retrain students’ palates in some instances, but this is in the best interests
of the students.
As mentioned earlier, school canteens can become trouble zones if they are not
closely regulated and supervised by the administration. Canteens can be a barometer
for student conduct. If preventive measures are not put in place and enforced, lunchtime
can be chaotic and this chaos can spill over into classes after lunch because some
students may be late and unsettled. Some may even want to continue eating during
class. Administrators, school canteen committees, and operators must implement
systems to enforce queuing and good behavior in the canteen. A canteen duty roster for
teachers and prefects is a necessity. The frequent presence of the principal and teachers
will control negative behavior. These measures will eliminate queue jumping, fighting,
bullying and extortion of money or lunch from younger students during break and
lunchtime.
School canteens can be pleasant spaces which contribute to the development of
students and reflect a positive school climate. The school environment can enhance
children’s skills, knowledge and behaviors in relation to healthy eating. However, in many
countries, unhealthy foods are commonly available in schools, and children can be
exposed to aggressive marketing by the food industry. Taking the perspective of
policymakers, this study aimed to identify barriers and enablers to effective school food
policy development and implementation in the Philippines.