محمد محسن عبيدات

Al-Shatnawi: Students’ Safety is the Ultimate Goal in School Canteens’ Work

Nayrouz – Mohammad Mohsen Obeidat

As part of the efforts aimed at enhancing the school environment and providing safe and healthy canteens that serve students, Ms. Huda Al-Shatnawi, Director of Education for Bani Kenana District, inaugurated this morning the training workshop for school canteen supervisors. The event was held at Ibn Rushd Vocational School’s theater, in the presence of Dr. Wafaa Al-Bakhit, Director of Educational Affairs, along with several educational supervisors and those concerned with school health.

In her opening remarks, Al-Shatnawi stressed that school canteens are not merely places to serve food, but educational spaces that contribute to developing cooperative behavior among students, shaping their leadership skills, and reinforcing values of belonging to the educational institution and the local community. She added that the school canteen serves as a parallel educational station that builds health and nutritional awareness, instills healthy habits, and promotes self-reliance and teamwork.

Al-Shatnawi emphasized the importance of adhering to regulations governing canteens, particularly ensuring that workers hold valid health-clearance certificates and professional licenses, in addition to strictly observing health requirements. She affirmed that students’ safety remains the ultimate goal and the top priority in any school activity.

She also pointed out that the significance of canteens goes beyond providing balanced meals, as they also serve as an educational tool that supports students’ health, psychological well-being, and social development, helping to create a safe and stimulating school environment.

For his part, the school health officer presented a detailed overview of the canteen regulations, highlighting the permitted and prohibited food items, the required food safety standards, as well as the main challenges facing school administrations in this regard. He also proposed a set of practical solutions to improve performance and ensure sustainability.

The workshop also included a review of the criteria for the "Best School Canteen” competition for the academic year 2024/2025, emphasizing the importance of fair competition among schools to encourage innovation and commitment to health and educational standards. This, in turn, would yield positive outcomes for students’ health and enhance parents’ satisfaction.

The workshop concluded with a call for all participants to redouble their efforts and work in a spirit of teamwork, aiming to establish school canteens that meet the aspirations of the Ministry of Education and reflect the school’s mission of building a generation that is both health-conscious and intellectually aware.