Fried food items banned in all schools of Punjab

LAHORE: The District Education Authority (DEA) has imposed a ban on the selling of fried food items in schools of all the districts of Punjab whereas a letter has also been sent to educational institutions in this regard, Pakistan Today learnt here on Thursday.

Pakistan Today also learnt that according to the letter, the banned items include samosas, pakoras, fried potato chips and any food item which has been fried because these things are cooked in sub-standard oil and harm the health of school-going students.

While commenting on the DAE’s decision, a woman Rubina Kardar said, “This is a very good decision and we appreciate it.  There is no check and balance on food items which are being sold in school canteens and my school-going 6-year-old daughter often falls sick. Once she got a stomach issue because of eating fried food from the school canteen and I had to admit her in the hospital for three days. I had complained about it to the school headmistress but she was not in the mood to resolve the issue. The authority should also keep a check over people who are selling these items outside school gates because those are the most harmful”.

Muhammad Anwar Ullah Khan, a father of two school-going children said, “My kids are studying in an eminent English medium school in Lahore but unluckily the canteen of the school is very pathetic and there is no check and balance on the food items. One reason is that most of the owners of private schools are getting enough rent from these canteens and allow them to sell whatever they want. The ban on fried food items is very encouraging but authority should also make this sure that all the schools are obeying this decision”.

On the other hand, DAE CEO Pervez Akhtar claims that the fried items are not good for student’s health, “We will also keep a check and balance on this decision. All the schools have been informed through a letter. Fried food items are spoiling the health of students and no student can perform well without good health”.