Abuses Unhealthy Practices In School Free Meal Programme

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Bernama pic.PETALING JAYA: An internal audit had warned the education ministry two years ago about abuses and weaknesses in the management of the Supplementary Food Programme (RMT), a document cited by FMT reveals
The warning was contained in a letter detailing the outcome of an audit report in 2015, which points to incompetence resulting in leakages and wastages
Maszlee Malik.“You are urged to pay serious attention to the audit findings and take the necessary action to avoid a repeat of the issues,” said a letter in March 2016 by the ministry’s Finance Division
The revelation of the audit report comes amid a renewed debate to reform the free food initiative started decades ago to improve the health of students from poor families
Just two days ago, Education Minister Maszlee Malik said he was ready to expose mismanagement and corruption in several contracts awarded by the ministry in the past, including for the School Milk Programme
Maszlee had also said a task force would be established to look into all deals awarded through direct negotiations
“I will, from now onwards, reveal a lot of skeletons that exist, that have been left by the previous minister,” he said, referring to his predecessor, Mahdzir Khalid
Parents’ income status not checkedThe audit findings on the food programme, which FMT sighted, were sent to various state departments urging immediate action from them
The audit was carried out between August and October 2015, and had found 13 instances of how education authorities in four states failed to properly manage the food-aid programme
It, among others, cited delays by state education departments in releasing funds to schools, causing disruptions in the distribution of food to the children, as suppliers refused to deliver food due to non-payment
Putrajaya had allocated some RM273 million for the free meals programme in 2015
The audit also said there were no proper checks on the actual economic status of the children who benefitted from the programme, with no effort taken to verify the salary slips of their parents
There were also cases of bad handling and improper storage of food items. In some instances, they were stored together with food sold in school canteens
“Schools also failed to provide the names of employees of RMT suppliers and copies of their health cards and records of health checks to auditors,” said the document detailing the audit findings
It further revealed that suppliers were found not to have taken typhoid shots, one of many requirements under RMT to ensure that the chain of delivery is free from health issues
Food was also not served based on the approved menus, which were drafted to ensure the children received proper nutrition from the meals

The audit also questioned payment by the authorities to suppliers during Ramadan, a month when no meals were served to Muslim students. - FMT

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