Rancho Arriba community demands local school lunch due to food safety risks
Fathers, mothers, and guardians of the William Encarnación High School, in the municipality of Rancho Arriba, San José de Ocoa, have raised their voices in rejection of the current logistics of the School Feeding Program (PAE). The educational community is firmly opposed to food being transported from suppliers located more than 45 kilometers away, a journey that takes nearly two hours and puts the nutritional quality of the students at risk.
The demonstration, organized by the Association of Parents, Mothers, Friends, and Guardians of the School (APMAE), seeks for the authorities of the Ministry of Education and the National Institute of Student Welfare (INABIE) to allow the preparation and distribution of lunches to be carried out within the municipality.
As of right now, we have not reached any agreement. We have not received the food portion for the students because they have to travel 45 kilometers to bring the food here.
Félix Beltré de la Cruz, vice president of the Parents’ Association of District 303 of Rancho Arriba.
Concern for food security
The main fear of the representatives is the lack of food safety. Félix Beltré de la Cruz pointed out that the prolonged transport time on the road exposes food to adverse weather conditions, which increases the risk of bacterial proliferation. This position was supported by other residents, such as Iris Báez, who asserted that there have already been reports of students affected by the consumption of food that, in her opinion, arrives in deteriorated conditions after the long journey.
For her part, Linda Lama emphasized the difference between transporting refrigerated products and hot food, warning that the current scheme is unfeasible for maintaining the hygiene standards required for child consumption.
They demand definitive solutions
- Local proposal: The community suggests hiring suppliers within Rancho Arriba or setting up municipal kitchens to ensure freshness.
- Educational impact: Parents warn that the issue affects the normal development of the school day at the William Encarnación and Ezequiel Medina high schools.
- Call to authorities: Under the slogan “Distance kills the safety of our children’s food,” they request a prompt evaluation of logistical alternatives by INABIE.
The School Feeding Program (PAE) is a fundamental pillar of the Dominican educational system, designed to provide essential nutrients to nearly two million students nationwide. However, for the inhabitants of Rancho Arriba, the program’s efficiency should not be measured only by the number of rations delivered, but by the quality and safety with which they reach their children’s plates.
