School meal review changes 'under consideration'

Proposed changes to school meals on the Isle of Man "remain under consideration", the education department has said.

The 2023 School Meals Review, which confirmed £2,522,000 was spent on the service annually, has been heavily redacted in line with Freedom of Information exemptions but the government said it was "shaping the future of the service".

Any changes had "not yet been finalised as government policy" but "relevant developments" would be shared "as they progress", a department spokesman said.

He said key areas of focus would be a reduction in the use of ultra-processed food and using more local produce.

Former minister for the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, Julie Edge committed to the assessment in July 2023, following a question in Tynwald by the current minister Daphne Caine.

The document, originally drafted for internal use, looked at the current operating model, free school meals and the associated costs and the menus on offer.

It confirmed primary schools could serve up to an average of 3,500 dinners per day, while up to 1,450 secondary school students could be catered to daily.

However, a list of 24 recommended improvements to the service, considerations of a new model and the details of potential alternatives, and a suggested five-year plan have been removed from the publicly available version of the document.

Following the publication of the report, a DESC spokesman said the insights were being "actively used... to shape the future of the school meals service".

As outlined in its current department plan, key areas of focus would be a reduction in the use of ultra-processed food - which typically contains additives such as sweeteners, using more local produce, reducing food waste and conducting surveys on meal choices, he said.

In a statement, the spokesman said the department "was committed to ensuring school meals support children's health and learning while maintaining financial sustainability".

Updates would be provided "where appropriate" as further decisions were made on future improvements and operating models, he added.

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