Prosecutor's Office opens investigation to Governor of Sucre and 11 mayors for non-compliance with the PAE

The Sincelejo Provincial Attorney's Office opened a preliminary inquiry to 11 mayors of Sucre and the governor of the department, Héctor Olimpo, for non-compliance with the School Feeding Program (PAE). As the entity told Blu Radio, “it does not rule out investigating the leaders of eight other municipalities” due to the lack of food delivery to official students.

The educational institutions were concerned that the school calendar began in January and, according to what authorities have told them, the PAE would be launched until the beginning of May. “To date, students have not started receiving this service and logically this often affects their presence in educational institutions,” Justiniano Ricardo, rector of the Higher Normal School of La Mojana, told the media outlet mentioned above.

Delays in the implementation of the PAE are allegedly due to processing problems due to a change in the current regulations that occurred at the end of 2021. However, the absence of this program could increase school dropouts and even affect malnutrition among minors, according to education officials. Because of this, the Public Prosecutor's Office opened the inquiry to public officials.

It should be remembered that in Sucre it is not the only place where there have been problems with the PAE. On Tuesday, the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation hosted a guardianship to protect the rights to food, health, education, equality and human dignity of children and adolescents beneficiaries of the PAE in Guaviare.

The Public Ministry ordered the Government of Guaviare to carry out all the necessary actions to ensure the provision of the PAE through its Ministry of Education. The situation in this department is the same as in Sucre, “since the beginning of the 2022 academic calendar no such service has been provided”, but this time it is due to delays in recruitment.

The Department of Education must also ensure the operation of this program until the last day of the school year, as indicated in the court decision.

Detect possible cases of foodborne illness in five departments

On March 15, it became known that, so far this school year, in Boyacá, Antioquia, Risaralda, Cundinamarca and Meta, possible outbreaks of Foodborne Diseases (ETS) have been reported in meals delivered by the PAE.

The Ministry of National Education (MEN), through its Food for Learning Unit (UAPA), and the Ministry of Health (MinSalud) began monitoring cases and some of the affected minors had undergone medical tests.

It was indicated that the first possible case of ETA was detected on February 28 in Boyacá. When conducting the preliminary investigations, the health personnel who treated the affected person determined that the case could be related to food provided by the PAE, so they contacted the Ministry of Health.

When investigating thoroughly, the Food for Learning Unit found worrying cases, especially in Boyacá. According to the Ministry of Education, not even in one year are there as many cases of ASD reported as those that have been known in the first two weeks of March.

It was detailed that there are five municipalities in Boyacá where cases of ASD have been detected: Paipa, Sáchica, Belén, Soatá and Socotá. According to the epidemiological reports issued, the causes of the infections were related to a bacterium known as Bacillus Cereus, present in Nutralac whole milk powder, which was supplied through the PAE.

It should be noted that in addition to the aforementioned municipalities in Boyacá, the problem is also reported in Caparrapí (Cundinamarca), Risaralda (Pereira), Castilla La Nueva (Meta) and in Caucasia (Antioquia). In the latter, the rules established for the provision of the PAE were not met.

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