Natalia Burton | No more junk food should be dumped in schools

When the National School Nutrition Policy (SNP) was approved in May 2025, it marked an important step forward for school nutrition in Jamaica. It signalled a clear commitment by the Government to improve school food environments and support the health of more than 500,000 students. In recent months, there have also been visible efforts to promote healthier food choices more broadly.

The proposed Special Consumption Tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and continued public engagement on school nutrition reflect growing recognition that what children eat matters. Moments like the Minister’s presence at JYAN’s World School Meals Day activities at Mona Heights Primary also signal goodwill and a willingness to engage on the issue.

These efforts are important. But goodwill must now translate into consistent, measurable action that students can actually experience.

The SNP sets out strong intentions. It speaks to restricting sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods, strengthening school feeding, promoting physical activity, and encouraging local sourcing, including a commitment for at least 10 per cent of produce to come from local farmers. However, one concern is that in its most recent form, many of the policy’s goals are not clearly measurable. Earlier versions, such as the Green Paper, included more defined timelines and percentage targets. These made it easier to track progress and hold systems accountable. Without clear benchmarks, it becomes difficult to assess what success looks like and whether it is being achieved.

Nearly a year later, students are asking a simple question: “What has actually changed?”

At the student level, change remains difficult to see. School canteens and tuckshops largely look the same. Sugary drinks and highly processed snacks are still widely available. Meal quality is inconsistent. For many students, especially those who rely on the National School Feeding Programme, school meals are their most reliable source of nutrition. When those meals do not meet basic nutritional standards, the consequences are serious. Poor nutrition affects focus, academic performance, energy levels, and long-term health.

The Government has reported that over 200 schools have been assessed, that recipe revisions are underway, and that at least 200 cooks are to be trained between 2026 and 2027. These are important steps. But preparation is not the same as implementation. Students cannot eat assessments, and they cannot benefit from standards that are not yet enforced. In the meantime, there is a need for short-term measures to ensure that students are already seeing improvements in what is available to them at school.

This raises an important question. Is the SNP being implemented in a way that students can actually experience, or is it still largely at the preparatory stage?

There is currently no publicly accessible data showing how many schools are compliant with the policy, even in these early stages. There is no dashboard tracking progress, and no clear breakdown of how compliance is being monitored across schools. Without specific targets or regular updates, it is difficult for the public to understand what progress is being made.

There is also a broader concern around communication. While there has been consistent public dialogue around measures like the proposed sugar tax, updates on the implementation of the SNP are less frequent and less detailed. Weeks and sometimes months pass without clear information. For a policy of this scale, that level of silence does not support transparency or public trust.

There are also unanswered questions. What happens when vendors continue to sell restricted items? Who is responsible for enforcement at the school level? What consequences exist when standards are not met?

Jamaica has seen the impact of weak monitoring before. Restrictions on sugary drinks introduced in 2019 faced challenges with enforcement. Without strong oversight, even well-designed policies can fall short. The same risk exists here if accountability systems are not clearly defined and consistently applied.

From a rights-based perspective, this issue is critical. Jamaican children have a right to adequate and nutritious food and to the highest attainable standard of health. When students are at school, the responsibility to uphold those rights lies with school administrations and the Government. Parents have limited control over what is sold on school grounds during the day. If unhealthy options continue to dominate, then children’s needs are not being fully met in that environment.

Lives and long-term well-being are at stake. Nutrition in childhood shapes cognitive development, physical growth, and future risk of chronic disease. Every delay in meaningful implementation affects thousands of students across the country. By the start of the next school year, school food environments should not look the same as they do now. Students should be able to see and feel the difference.

The National School Nutrition Policy has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of Jamaican students. The commitment has been signalled. The groundwork has begun. What is needed now is a consistent, visible implementation that reaches students directly.

Students do not experience policy on paper. They experience it in their lunch lines, their canteens, and their daily meals. That is where change must happen.

Natalia Burton is a social work student and youth advocate with the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com