FREE SCHOOL MEALS RIGHT NOW WORKSHOP REPORT (September 21-22, 2024 Ankara)
SCHOOL MEALS ARE A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT/COMPONENT OF THE RIGHT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOL
The basic principles of public education, as a fundamental requirement of the social state, are equal, free, scientific, qualified, and inclusive. The access of all children to the right to public education is possible by allocating a sufficient budget to public education, ensuring that decision-makers provide the necessary conditions, and taking the necessary measures. Decision makers worldwide and in our country are responsible for the universal right of children to public education.
418 million children worldwide have access to school meals. School meal programs have been implemented in more than 100 countries since the early years of the 20th century in Japan, the 1890s in Norway, the 1920s in Chile and India, 1937 in Sweden, 1939 in the USA, 1955 in Brazil, 1980 in Kenya, 1984 in El Salvador, and 1994 in Pakistan.
In countries where school meal programs are implemented, the principle that school meals are a basic public right and an equal citizenship right is included in legal regulations and programs. School meal programs are not seen as a need-based food support intervention, but as a social policy tool, a basic human right, and a public service used to overcome persistent inequalities.
DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT/COMPONENT OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOL
Access to clean water, along with school meals, is also a public right for all children. Water consumption is of vital importance. Adequate water consumption positively affects body temperature regulation, digestive system health, energy level, mental and physical performance, and electrolyte balance. A healthy individual should drink an average of 2-2.5 liters of water per day.
There is no access to drinking water, control-monitoring systems in schools, and the number of toxic pollutants that may contaminate the water is very high. School water systems, purification/filtration systems capable of retaining toxic chemical substances should be established in schools, and water fountains and water dispensers should be placed at appropriate points to ensure children have access to clean, drinkable water.
ALLOCATING RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL MEALS IS MORE THAN A CHOICE, IT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION
The budget calendar has been launched. With the start of the budget process and discussions, the main agenda must be the allocation of a sufficient budget for public education and school meals. The basic principle of the budget right is that the people have a say in determining public expenses and revenues. The budget right has been institutionalized as a universal value all over the world. The budget process should be carried out together with democratic mass organizations and the people. The political power, opposition parties and the Turkish Grand National Assembly have a great responsibility regarding the budget right that is as old as democracy.
Those who are responsible for the budget process are once again faced with a political choice in this budget period as to whether the budget will be used in favor of children and the people. With the publication of the public savings circular, the school meal application of students receiving dual education in transportation education, which has been continuing for many years, has been abolished due to savings. The school meal application, which is limited to preschools in the earthquake zone, will not be implemented in schools as of the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year. However, incentives of up to 100\% have been announced for private vocational high schools three times since the general election. Support for private schools in the earthquake zone was announced with the regulation published in the Official Gazette on September 26, 2024. The fees paid through MESEM’s (Vocational Education Centers) which have become a tool for tearing students away from school and turning them into child laborers, are covered by public resources.
Nearly 100 billion resources were transferred to structures under the name of NGOs in the first 6 months of 2024. Dozens of other examples can be given. This whole picture shows that not allocating a budget for school meals is a political choice and priority; despite existing resources, public resources are not being used for children's right to school meals.
SCHOOL MEAL IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF HEALTHY NUTRITION, GENERAL HEALTH, ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Nutrition during school age affects the child's growth, development, body structure and body components. Adequate and balanced nutrition is a diet that includes foods from five food groups and meets all developmental needs, and is also defined as healthy nutrition. Nutrition during school age is also important for children to acquire healthy living habits, as it is the period when good life habits are acquired.
According to the TÜİK Statistics with Children 2022 report, 27 percent of the country's population consists of children aged 0-17. Three-quarters of the child population is of school age. According to the data in the report; The rate of children consuming foods such as bread and pasta in Turkey is 62.4 percent; the rate of children consuming fruit every day is 50.5 percent; The rate of children who consume vegetables every day is 33 percent, and the rate of children who consume meat and fish is 10.2 percent.
Stunting, which is the result of malnutrition due to poverty, is an important sign of chronic malnutrition. Stunting, unlike thinness, is permanent. It is an indication that the child has not received the necessary nutrients for a long time. The most important life-threatening effect of malnutrition is that it paves the way for frequent infections and fatal diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
In our country, the number of children between the ages of 0-4 is approximately 6 million. According to the Hacettepe University Population Studies Institute's Turkey Population and Health Survey, stunting in children under the age of 5 has reached 10 percent. According to the findings obtained in the research conducted by TTB and SES in which nearly 600 children were observed in the Antakya, Defne and Samandağ districts of Hatay, the stunting and underweight rates in children under the age of 5 have increased.
The most painful result of poverty and malnutrition is the increase in infant and child mortality. The spread of non-communicable chronic diseases due to obesity and malnutrition are also among the results of unhealthy nutrition.
SCHOOL MEALS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PUBLIC MEASURE IN SCHOOLING AND PREVENTING DROPOUTS
In our country, school dropout has reached the highest level in the country's history. In the 2023 data of the Ministry of National Education, it was announced that the number of children dropping out of school in secondary education reached 2 million 9 thousand, and that school dropouts in secondary schools increased from 3.1 percent to 6.2 percent in one year. These data do not reflect real school dropout data. The data is not prepared based on scientific criteria and in a transparent manner. The absenteeism indicator for different levels and program types was not shared in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Absenteeism data was not included in the 2024 budget proposal of the Ministry of National Education. However, in 2019, the absenteeism rate alone reached 25.1 percent in general secondary education and 40.7 percent in vocational and technical secondary education. While preparing the data; the basis taken for schooling is not age but the enrollment status and the enrollment rate according to the grades. Students who are out of formal education cannot be determined through the enrollment status and the enrollment rate according to the grades. School meals and the provision of physical and human conditions at school constitute one of the main measures that will increase the identification of children with school and their success on the one hand and reduce school dropouts and absenteeism on the other.
SCHOOL MEALS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC MEASURE FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Adequate nutrition is essential for brain functions to function at an optimal level. Inadequate Omega 3 fatty acid intake leads to attention deficit, learning difficulties, and memory problems. When children are deprived of nutrients such as fish, eggs, meat, and walnuts, they may experience regressions in their brain functions. Inadequate protein intake slows down brain development, which also negatively affects the learning process. Prolonged iron deficiency can cause attention deficit, learning difficulties, and cognitive delays, and can cause permanent damage to children's academic success. Iodine deficiency seriously affects children's cognitive performance. Muscle weakness and fatigue are common findings in vitamin B deficiency. The main cause of preventable mental retardation in the world is malnutrition. Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency can lead to long-term memory problems. It has been scientifically established that there is a positive relationship between zinc levels and reading ability in children attending primary school.
SCHOOL MEALS SUPPORT CHILDREN PSYCHOLOGICALLY
The most direct result of poverty and inequality is hunger, and hunger is a real violence for the organism. Because the hormones that are activated during hunger are destructive hormones. The hormones activated by hunger first destroy the glycogen in the liver, then the fat tissue and finally the muscle tissue.
Inadequate nutrition can create low energy levels and a general state of hopelessness in children. Children may experience symptoms of depression due to hunger and inadequate nutrition. Low serotonin levels can cause depression and anxiety. Children with serotonin deficiency have difficulty in social interactions and have adaptation problems. Foods such as fish, bananas, dairy products and nuts are foods that support serotonin production. Nutritional deficiencies, especially micronutrient deficiencies such as Omega 3 fatty acids and zinc, can cause attention deficit, behavioral disorders and hyperactivity disorder. It can trigger problems such as impulsivity and aggression. Zinc deficiency can lead to behavioral and social maladjustments. Emotional withdrawal and social isolation are particularly associated with insufficient vitamin B and magnesium.
In a study conducted on growth retardation, which affects 40 percent of developing children, 127 children aged 9-24 months were followed for 7-8 years. The children were divided into four groups; one group was given only nutritional support, another group was given socio-cultural stimulants, and another group was given both. After two years, the children who received both supports reached the level of children without growth retardation. In cognitive function tests and school success assessments conducted six years later, the test scores of children who were given nutritional support and stimulants were higher.
In the data on children, life and poverty announced for the first time this year by the Turkish Statistical Institute, 7.3 percent of children aged 5-17 feel depressed every day. According to the data, 1 million 958 thousand 888 children of compulsory education age are living with depression and anxiety. 50 percent of children aged 13-17, especially during exam periods, experience extreme anxiety.
SCHOOL MEALS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF GENDER EQUALITY
School meal programs implemented around the world show us that school meals are the most effective public measure in providing girls with access to education, preventing school dropouts, and preventing child marriages. For example; in Pakistan, by providing 4 liters of oil to girls who attended school for 20 days every month between 1998 and 2004, the school enrollment rate increased by 135 percent after six years.
SCHOOL MEALS AND FOOD SAFETY ARE INSEPARABLE
Food safety is one of the most important topics in school meal practices. Food safety is the processing, preparation and storage of food with the best/appropriate methods that will reduce the risk of individuals getting sick from foodborne diseases. The five key messages of the World Health Organization for safe food are; keep it clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, use safe water and raw materials.
One of the main problems that decision-makers have stated for school meal practices is the lack of cafeterias in schools. The solution to this problem is quite simple. There are many solutions under the title of expanding the food safety framework in school meal programs. Cafeteria units can be established in schools with a sufficient number of students and physical facilities. Cafeterias can be made operational again in schools that previously had a cafeteria and have suitable infrastructure. In schools where the number of students is low or the physical facilities to establish a cafeteria are insufficient, a cafeteria unit can be established within the provincial and district national education directorates. The cafeterias to be established may be more than one, considering the number of schools in the province or district and the number of students. Food prepared in these cafeterias can be served to schools. A sufficient number of food engineers, dietitians, cooks and service personnel can be assigned both within the school and within the Provincial/District National Education Directorates.
SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS ARE APPLICATIONS THAT SUPPORT PRODUCTION, PRODUCERS, COOPERATIVES, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTHY FOOD PRODUCTION, ECOLOGY
With school meal programs around the world, environmental pollution, loss of wetlands, erosion-deterioration of soil structure, deforestation are prevented; biodiversity is protected, local and national economy, small producers are strengthened, cooperatives are widespread, and employment, especially women's participation in the workforce, is supported.
SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM IS A FUNDAMENTAL DUTY OF POLITICAL POWER'S PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS BASED ON LEGAL, CONSTITUTIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
School meal program is regulated by articles 6, 24 and 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The articles signed are based on the principles of ensuring children's healthy development rights, ensuring children's right to healthy nutrition and access to health services, non-discrimination, the principle of the child's best interests, the right to life and development and the right to participation.
Our country signed the UN International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 12, paragraph 2 A: Ensuring the Healthy Development of the Child) in 2003 and ratified in 2006. This convention aims to protect and develop economic, social and cultural rights. The convention includes the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to food, and states the obligation of states to provide these rights.
The National Education Fundamental Law, the Child Protection Law, the Public Health Law and the Social Services Law No. 2828 emphasize that school meals are the basic responsibility of the social state.
A very clear general framework has been drawn in the Constitution, clearly stating that school meals are the basic responsibility of the state.
The issue that the school meal program will be provided to all children, starting from disadvantaged regions and preschool education and expanding, has been regulated within the scope of the healthy nutrition programs of the Ministry of Health, in the 11th Development Plan (2019-2023), the 2023 Presidential Annual Plan, the 2023 Education Vision Document, the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of National Education (2015-2019), and the Turkey Healthy Nutrition and Active Life Program (2018-2023). These documents include commitments that a free meal will be provided in schools. A target was set and a decision was taken in the Ministry of National Education on this issue at the 20th Education Council.
LOCAL EXPERIENCES SHOULD BE USED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM, AND THE SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED DEMOCRATICLY WITH THE SUBJECTS OF THE SITE. PROCESS MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE BASED ON SCIENCE, RESEARCH, CURRENT EXPERIENCE AND DEMOCRATIC APPROACHES
Local experiences, especially the studies carried out in Edirne, Mersin, Sulukule, Esenyalı, Kocaeli, should be used for the school meal program. Field studies (surveys / face-to-face interviews) should be conducted to clarify and report the situation that child poverty has reached as a country. Having real data is of urgent importance in the planning phase of the school meal program.
Special efforts should be carried out for disadvantaged children (such as poor neighborhoods, rural areas, girls, children with special education needs, refugee children, children in earthquake zones, etc.).
OUR DEMANDS
* School meals are not a favor but a public right for all children and young people. School meals are a public right and implementing school meal programs is a requirement of the principle of the social state. School meal programs should be implemented as soon as possible for all students from preschool to higher education through public means and public resources.
* Ensuring healthy nutrition for children should not be seen as a matter of “budget insufficiency” but as a primary public duty that the social state must fulfill. One of the main agendas of budget negotiations should be school meals and a sufficient budget should be allocated for school meals.
* Turkey should be one of the participating countries of the International School Meal Coalition; it should fulfill its necessary public obligations arising from this membership.
* A General Directorate of Nutrition (in the provinces) unit affiliated with the Ministry of National Education should be established, and a sufficient number of food engineers, nutrition and diet specialists, physicians, cooks and kitchen personnel should be employed on a permanent basis and securely.
All work to be done should be carried out in accordance with health and nutrition legislation.
* In schools with suitable physical space, cafeterias should be established urgently; in schools with inadequate physical space, central kitchens should be established at suitable settlement points on a provincial and district basis; school meals should be delivered to schools from these points with suitable transportation vehicles.
* The service to be provided in central kitchens to be established in schools and provinces should be seen as a public duty; the school meal program should be carried out by the General Directorate of Nutrition to be established affiliated with the Ministry of National Education.
* An ecological perspective should be taken as the basis in the process extending from soil to table in school meal programs; for this purpose, small producers and cooperatives engaged in agroecological production locally (soil restoration, development of farmers, prevention of pollution of water resources, protection of biodiversity, public benefits) should be supported.
* Schools should have fountains and water dispensers that are suitable for children to have access to water.
* A pollution map should be drawn regarding the content of toxic chemicals in drinking water resources in our country; in the short term, filtration systems that will retain toxic chemicals should be installed in schools in regions where water pollution is intense; and in the long term, similar systems should be established in all provinces with the cooperation of local governments and relevant public institutions.
* The prevention of pollution of water resources in Turkey should be effectively and meticulously monitored by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Environment-Urbanization and Climate Change and local governments; all active substances specified in the International Academic Literature and institutions working in the field of International Health and Food Safety should be taken into account and updated in the toxic chemical substances monitored in underground and surface water resources in Turkey; control and monitoring activities should be carried out for toxic chemicals that threaten child health, such as PFAS and all pesticides.
* School meal programs and healthy water access practices should be opened to the supervision of school family associations, professional organizations, unions, and NGOs; it should be ensured that they are not only under the control of the governorship but also within the scope of the general directorates of nutrition.
* The results and studies obtained from the control, inspection and monitoring activities carried out by the relevant public institutions in the field of food and water should be shared with the public regularly and transparently.
* Healthy nutrition lessons should be included among the compulsory lessons in schools; water and nutrition should be included as a basic unit in lessons such as Health Education and Life Sciences. In addition, the subject of water and nutrition should be a basic part of school guidance services and class guidance. Information studies should be carried out on nutrition for parents; informative publications should be made about the necessity of school meal programs, the benefits they will create and the experiences in various countries.
We demand that healthy water and food be provided in all schools in Turkey without discrimination, without any ifs or buts, and that Turkey make a commitment by joining the International Food Coalition.
FREE SCHOOL MEALS RIGHT NOW!
TÜRKİYE SCHOOL MEAL COALITION
18.10.2024