Sumy National Agrarian University hosted the regional forum “Reform of School Nutrition System: Equal Responsibilities”. The forum became a strategic platform for discussing and developing further steps to implement the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine on systemic changes in the nutrition of children in educational institutions. The event brought together representatives of communities, government agencies and business to study and discuss strategic directions of the reform.
Olena ZELENSKA, the initiator of the reform, noted in a video message that healthy food is not only an element of children’s safety, but also an important part of developing healthy eating habits. In his turn, Andriy STASHKIV, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, stressed that the state aid will be used to improve the material and technical base of educational institutions to implement the school meals reform. According to Volodymyr ARTIUKH, Head of the Regional Military Administration, the school meals reform in Sumy region is being successfully implemented despite the difficult security challenges. The authorities are actively taking care of children, who are the future capital of the country.
One of the priority areas of the reform is the modernisation of kitchens, and UAH 1.5 billion for territorial communities have already been earmarked for 2024. The authorities have called on communities to use these funds to upgrade kitchens and canteens in schools and other educational institutions.
Experts and forum participants discussed the regulatory framework, technological models of catering, financial capacity of communities, the introduction of free meals for certain categories of students and other aspects of the reform. Orest STEPANYAK, Head of the School Nutrition Reform Project Office, detailed the reform strategy for the period up to 2027, which is based on four goals: strengthening the financial and institutional capacity of communities, modernising the infrastructure of educational institutions, developing human resources and communication, and creating a culture of healthy eating.
During the strategic platforms, the guests were able to listen to information on financing the reform, namely on grant projects and the organisation of the public procurement process through the Prozorro Market system from Lesia MARTALISHVILI and Hanna HORNOSTAL. They learned about the construction of new catering units based on existing models and examples of planning and modernisation of existing ones from Oleksandr BONDAR and Olena MOZHARIVSKA. Dmytro SIVAK and Iryna SHUMIK spoke about the concept of a culinary hub and the development of educational materials for training “agents of change”. Natalia PEDYASH, director of Sumy School No. 23, shared her real-life experience of implementing the reform with community representatives.
The forum gave the opportunity to participate in thematic platforms and engage with the exhibition material. Various SNAU faculties took an active part, presenting their innovative ideas for improving the school nutrition system.
