– Mita Mukherjee
After CBSE, the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has cautioned schools about the rise of Type 2 diabetes among children and the council asked schools to address the problem through regular monitoring and creating awareness among students about the risk of excess sugar intake.
In a circular issued to principals, the CISCE said the rise in Type 2 diabetes among children is linked with exceeding sugar consumption especially from sugary snacks available in and around schools.
Like the CBSE, the schools have been asked to establish sugar boards which will be responsible to regulate marketing and sale of sugary products inside the campus and in its surroundings.
According to the CISCE circular, a survey has revealed that children between four and 18 years consumed sugar exceeding the recommended limit of five percent which led to obesity, metabolism disorder and diabetes. This affects not only students’ health but also their academic performance.
The sugar boards will educate children about the result of excessive sugar intake and caution them about consuming junk food, cold drinks and create awareness among them about importance of balanced dietary habits. The initiative will be aimed at protecting children health and ensure a safer, healthier environment for their growth, the council said.
Schools have been asked to integrate this initiative into their health and nutrition programmes and conduct periodic sugar awareness programme in collaboration with healthcare professionals to motivate the students about proper dietary habits.
Rodney Borneo, principal of St. Augustine’s Day School, Shyamnagar in Bengal welcomed the move. Though he said in his institution sale and consumption of junk food, chocolates and cold drinks have been banned long ago.
“We don’t allow students to consume cold drinks and chocolates inside our campus. We will conduct awareness programme for students as asked by the council. But we will also conduct similar programmes for parents because children need to develop good food habit at home,” Borneo told EducationWorld.
The CBSE had issued a similar instruction to its affiliated schools last month asking the institutions to set up sugar boards to check the rise in Type 2 diabetes among students.
The CISCE has issued the circular on the basis of a recommendation of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The CBSE too asked its affiliated schools to take up the initiative following the NCPCR recommendation.
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