C&E implements the project Sustainable and nutritious school

The project owner is Center for Development of Community Initiative and Environment (C&E), funded by Rikolto International, Belgium. General objective of the project is to Support the promotion of school food environment directly at 4 secondary schools in Cau Giay district: Nam Trung Yen, Yen Hoa, Mai Dich, Nghia Tan and share information at the remaining 11 secondary schools in Cau Giay district, Hanoi to ensure hygienic, safe and nutritious diet for secondary school students. Specific objectives of the project is to educate and communicate contents related to school food environment to ensure hygienic, safe and nutritious meals for secondary school students in Cau Giay and their families; and support guidelines on nutritious, healthy and nutritious school meals and food safety monitoring procedures compiled, developed and consulted by experts from the Department/Department of Education of Cau Giay District.

Main results 1: 01 food safety monitoring procedure is applied; 01 set of nutritious menus is implemented at four secondary schools in Cau Giay District: Yen Hoa, Nam Trung Yen, Mai Dich, Nghia Tan and introduced through communication channels, educating about nutritious and safe food for the remaining 11 secondary schools in Cau Giay District.

Main result 2: 01 set of teaching materials, communication materials suitable for secondary school students is applied and disseminated in the classrooms of four secondary schools in Cau Giay District: Yen Hoa, Nam Trung Yen, Mai Dich, Nghia Tan and introduced through communication channels to the remaining 11 secondary schools in Cau Giay District.

It is expected that: 220 teachers, 250 parents and 2,160 students will be informed about safe and nutritious food and food waste treatment; 140 teachers, 120 parents and 900 students will be trained in-depth knowledge about safe and nutritious food and food waste treatment.

The project not only aims to raise awareness about food safety but also seeks to create a better learning environment for students. Close coordination among stakeholders is a decisive factor in achieving the set objectives. One of the key outcomes is the improvement of food monitoring mechanisms and the enhancement of awareness among students, staff, and teachers regarding school nutrition. It also promotes positive behavior, knowledge, and practical skills related to safe and nutritious food for students, parents, teachers, and staff working at secondary schools in Cau Giay District. In addition, through education, the project aims to disseminate knowledge about school nutrition, a topic of interest in the current context of Vietnam, by introducing it through talks and sharing sessions at schools, followed by trial implementation of menus developed by nutrition experts.

The School Nutritious Food Program previously implemented in secondary and high schools in the Kingdom of Belgium, has achieved notable success in improving student nutrition. Through school nutrition initiatives in Vietnam, the donor wishes to share valuable experiences gained from the Belgian program. In Phase 1, the project was effectively implemented in collaboration with two secondary schools in Cau Giay District. Building on these results, the Cau Giay District Department of Education and Training has proposed expanding the project to two additional schools in Phase 2.

The application of school nutrition is being widely promoted across secondary schools, with training toolkits readily available to be shared among relevant stakeholders. The model of pilot schools for safe and nutritious food will be integrated into the regular activities of schools, particularly the four schools involved in the pilot phase. This will help sustain and expand the school nutrition model. Standardized food safety monitoring procedures will continue to be implemented in schools after the project ends while school food clubs at pilot schools continue to operate, spreading knowledge and inspiring students about safe food practices. In the long term, the teaching materials and nutrition education methods will be used in the shcools and the set of teaching materials and communication resources on food safety and nutrition will be used as reference documents. Nutrition education content will be integrated into the curricula of relevant subjects such as Science, Biology, and Civic Education, in accordance with government regulations.

The model and results of Phase 1 of the project are shared on the 'Nutritious School Food' fanpage to share to other schools wish to adopt this model by referring to the materials and learning from the successful implementation at pilot schools. Several specific outcomes were achieved during Phase 1 of the project, including the establishment of a Coordination Committee and a Core Team responsible for supervising and sustaining the implementation of school nutrition initiatives. A 10-day nutritionally balanced menu for semi-boarding school meals was developed, introduced, and piloted. The school's food quality monitoring process was compiled and further developed.

A set of five reference books for students on healthy, sustainable, and nutritious school food was created and finalized. The content was rich, accessible, and visually engaging, featuring attractive illustrations. The books include: Book 1: "Exploring My Nutrition and Health", Book 2: "Let’s Cook Together", Book 3: "Decoding Processed Foods", Book 4: "The Secrets Behind Food", Book 5: "Becoming a Food Hero".

Teacher resources on food and nutrition were also compiled, including lesson plans, sample slides, supplementary reading materials, teaching tools, and guidance for interactive games designed to engage students. Seven training sessions on communication and nutrition were held for core team members, parents of students at Yen Hoa and Nam Trung Yen Lower Secondary Schools, as well as healthcare staff and teachers from 15 secondary schools across Cau Giay District. Additionally, an online training session titled “The Role of School Nutrition in Children’s Physical Development” was conducted, attracting nearly 200 participants, including teachers and parents from the two pilot schools and individuals with an interest in food and nutrition.

The project also organized school-wide contests and programs centered on food and nutrition themes. In 2022, a drawing competition on the topic of food and health was held at the two pilot schools, receiving 129 submissions. Various class-level and school-wide nutrition-themed contests were launched, including the “Rainbow Nutrition Minigame”, Salad-Making Contest, Salad Photography Competition, Eat Well – Live Green, Golden Bell Challenge, and Summer Fruits Festival.

The Nutrition Club conducted activities around themes such as interactive drama, calorie awareness, food waste reduction, and recycling. Furthermore, the project organized extracurricular trips to an organic farm where students explored ecosystems, learned about organic food, composting, and participated in hands-on salad-making activities.