Implementation of school meals reform: DECIDE team joins the press tour in Odesa region
The team of the Swiss-Ukrainian project DECIDE joined a press tour for the national and regional media to learn about the success of the school meals reform initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska.
«We have a lot to share, because no one has implemented such a reform during the war. That's why every feedback we get - from children, parents, cooks, and everyone who cares about children - is so important to us. Because now we have to be especially diligent in protecting their resilience, giving them the strength to learn and live. And a decent school lunch is one of the components of our care», — the First Lady said.
A press tour for representatives of the national and regional media provided an opportunity to learn about the best practices of implementing the school meals reform. During the tour, the participants were able to see first-hand how the canteens of educational institutions in Odesa region are being modernised, how the updated menu for school canteens is being implemented in practice, and how modern healthy eating standards are being introduced.
«Since 2021, DECIDE Project has been a partner in the implementation of school meals reform. Development of Znaimo portal, supporting the Government with development of the School Meals Reform Strategy for over a year, as well as training and sharing experiences with local governments. But in order to implement a large-scale reform we need to unite the people on whom its success depends - community leaders, education managers and, of course, school cooks. We are addressing this issue systematically and, thanks to the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, have already started working on retraining cooks for communities, in particular within the "DECIDE: VET" programme», — said Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager
The DECIDE project, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine implemented the reform:
provided training on new programmes for more than 330 masters of industrial training from culinary hubs in more than 18 oblasts within the framework of the Initiative »Culinary Hubs. Training of Master Trainers» initiative in cooperation with ‘Cultfood’ and the National Catering Association. By the end of the year, these experts will have trained their peers and, in parallel, will be retraining school canteen cooks from across the country;
is creating 3 modern Culinary Hubs in vocational schools in Kyiv, Lviv and Chernihiv regions as part of «DECIDE: VET» initiative;
organised training for community leaders, heads of educational authorities and heads of education commissions of local councils in Odesa, Chernihiv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions for more than 500 participants. Community leaders studied various forms of school meals. In particular, they visited the factory-kitchen in Bucha territorial community, discussed the organisation of school meals procurement, implementation of food safety management system ‘Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points’ , updating of food service equipment, etc..
DECIDE Project is also working on the development of a course for educational managers on the implementation of school meals reform.
The first stop of the tour was the Karamelka kindergarten in Fontanska territorial community (TC), where the «basic kitchen» model has been implemented. During their visit to Avanhardivska TC, the press tour participants also visited Prylymansky Lyceum, where a shelter was established as part of the «DECIDE: RECONSTRUCTION» Initiative, a shelter was set up and a digital educational hub was created on its basis.
The final location of the tour was Odesa Vocational Education Centre, where a Culinary Hub is operating.