They denounce irregularities in the School Food Plan in Itagüí, Antioquia

The School Feeding Program (PAE) has been severely questioned in several areas of the country and remains in the eye of the hurricane due to its poor implementation in many municipalities. Recently, the complaint about irregularities in the execution of this program in Itagüí became known.

According to a local media outlet, parents from at least three schools reported that the food supplied to children is not arriving in optimal conditions for consumption.

Apparently, this situation has been occurring throughout the year and although it was reported earlier this month, operators would not have responded to the complaints.

According to the page, this situation does not stop and the complaints continue to arrive, despite the fact that a council was held with the local authorities and other participants, in which, according to 'El Itagüiseño, the mayor of the municipality, José Fernando Escobar, was also present.

“What is worrying is that more complaints continue to arrive; this is the case of the San José, Itagüí City and María Josefa Escobar Educational Institutions in the village of El Pedregal. These food cases were already reported in the council when @josefernandoee was present”, added this profile on the aforementioned social network.

“Be thankful that you are given something to eat”

According to the local newspaper El Colombiano, the responses to these allegations from operators have not been what would be expected.

According to that media outlet, when denouncing that the plate of food was not what was expected for minors in one of the affected schools, an operator of the school restaurant said: “Be grateful that they give you something to eat. When you're poor, you eat what you're given.”

Among the most recurrent complaints are poor disposal of food waste, unbalanced portions of food, delays in service and also poorly prepared products.

“Spaghetti only tastes like garlic, chicken is dry and juice tastes like fruit peel,” said Manuela Rojas, IECDI person, quoted by the local newspaper mentioned above. Likewise, the student described the food received at the institution as “inedible and outrageous”.

Regarding these complaints, nutritionist Gisela Pedraza told El Colombiano that photos posted through social networks show that the dishes are poorly served. In addition, he indicated that school restaurants must have a basic sanitation plan “to ensure safety and that food is safe for students to consume.”

Irregularities of the PAE in Cartagena

As mentioned at the beginning, Antioquia is not the only department where these types of complaints are registered. Recently, parents in Cartagena complained about the terrible portions of food their children receive in educational institutions.

According to the allegations, they would have sent only one banana, in some cases a green banana, and a bread in the food rations, not complying with the dairy product they have to provide to educational institutions.

On the non-compliance, the Cartagena District Education Secretariat indicated that operators had reported the non-compliance one day before the delivery, in the evening hours: “By e-mail, operators reported, at 10:00 p.m. on March 15, that they would not be able to deliver the complete rations due to alleged non-compliance with its suppliers of dairy products”.

For its part, the Personería de Cartagena assured that it was not an isolated event, but on the contrary it has happened on other occasions throughout this year

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