HCM CITY — A pilot programme on ensuring food safety and hygiene at all schools in six districts in HCM City will begin in the upcoming school year.

The six pilot districts of 3, 5, 8, 11, Tân Bình and Bình Thạnh must ensure that all schools have either met standards of the city’s food safety chain model recognised by the city’s Food Safety Management Board, or have food-safety certificates (such as the global ISO 22000:2005, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practice (Japan-GMP), VietGap and GlobalGap.

If any school unit has not terminated a contract with a food supplier that has not met standards since the 2017-2018 school year, it must do so and report the action to the department.

The Department of Education and Training has told the remaining districts to be ready for the programme as well in the 2018-2019 academic year.

Under the programme, by 2020, all canteens, kitchens and catering services at all district schools would meet food safety standards.

HCM City has more than 2,800 school units from pre-school to tertiary schools providing food services for students.

At least 1,600 schools have kitchens, 880 provide canteen services, and 320 collaborate with catering services.

Local agencies have faced problems trying to prevent food poisoning incidents and controlling the quality of food supplied to kitchens and canteens. — VNS