Mount Alvernia High principal denies canteen food made students ill

WESTERN BUREAU:

Students and administrators at the Montego Bay-based Mount Alvernia High School are at odds over concerns about food safety at the all-girls institution, following reports that several students fell sick this week after eating a variety of food from the canteen.

In an email sent to The Gleaner, the students, who requested anonymity, said that they and their parents remain uncertain about whether thorough health and safety checks are being done to ascertain the safety of meals being served at the girls’ school.

Their concerns came against the background of classes being dismissed early on Thursday after several students reportedly experienced bouts of illness, which they believed was linked to food served at the canteen.

“Several students reportedly experienced symptoms, including vomiting, after consuming food from the school canteen. What makes this situation particularly concerning is that the reports are not limited to students who consumed cooked meals. Students who purchased other food items, including patties, have also reportedly experienced illness,” the email stated.

“Following these incidents, the school circulated an email informing students of a suspected gastroenteritis situation. However, students are uncertain whether this has been medically confirmed or whether the actual source of the illnesses has been established,” the email continued. “While we acknowledge the school’s communication, we believe that more information is necessary to determine what happened and whether the food sold on the compound contributed to the situation.”

But speaking with The Gleaner on Friday, Principal Kayon Whyne denied that the canteen was at fault for the students falling ill, while noting that the grades seven to nine cohorts, which were affected, were asked to have online classes as a precautionary measure. Grades 10 to 13 were not impacted.

“My canteen is not the cause of this because the Ministry of Health came and gave me clearance. ... This could be water-borne because of the heavy flooding and excess rain that we have been having after the drought, and some flus come with diarrhoea and vomiting,” said Whyne.

HIKE IN MEAL PRICES

She also dismissed concerns about a hike in meal prices, which the students said were instituted with the expectation that the increased revenue would go towards improving the canteen’s facilities, equipment, and food-preparation conditions.

The students said the situation calls the canteen’s hygiene standards into question.

“Students are not forced to purchase food, and I have a robust welfare programme, where if a child cannot afford a meal, she is given that meal plus money to come to school for transportation. I have three microwaves down at the kitchen so they can take their packed lunches there,” Whyne said.

Mollie Plummer Henry, president of the school’s parent-teacher association, told The Gleaner that she had heard similar reports of students getting sick at other schools.

“I know that some children would have fallen ill on Wednesday, including my daughter, and we also got to understand that this is not isolated to Mount Alvernia because students from other institutions would have gone to various physicians. My daughter did not consume patties or anything that was cooked at the school and she became ill and was vomiting,” she said.

In the meantime, St James’ acting chief public health inspector, Sherika Lewis, confirmed that representatives from the St James Health Services inspected the school’s cafeteria.

“I am awaiting the full report from my officers, so as soon as we get that report, then we can give out further information on the situation. I will review the information and have discussions with the medical officer of health and my team before we can give any further information,” she said.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com