National School Meals Programme Responds to Social Media Claim Over Alleged “Vegetarian Meal”

The National School Meals Programme has issued a formal response to a social media post alleging that a “vegetarian meal” served at a local school was substandard, stating that the portrayal of the meal does not accurately reflect the Programme’s standards or procedures.

In a statement released this week, Programme officials said there were no registered requests for vegetarian meals at the school at the time of the incident. According to established operational procedures, vegetarian meals are prepared and distributed only upon prior registration to ensure proper planning, food safety compliance, and efficient allocation of resources.

The Programme explained that up until the day before the incident, no vegetarian registration had been submitted for the school in question.

Officials further clarified that on the day referenced in the social media post, the teacher involved did not register for a vegetarian meal in advance. Instead, upon arriving at the serving point, the individual reportedly opted to take the standard meal and requested only the vegetable components, which were provided accordingly.

The statement suggested that the subsequent presentation of the meal online appeared to have been altered in a way that made it look unpresentable, and did not represent the quality or standard of meals routinely prepared and served under the Programme.

Reaffirming its mandate, the National School Meals Programme emphasized its commitment to ensuring that children across Antigua and Barbuda receive balanced, nutritious, and properly prepared meals each school day.

“While, like any large national programme, we face operational challenges from time to time, we are not lacking in our commitment, our standards, or the quality of food provided,” the statement noted, adding that at no time would the Programme knowingly or intentionally serve a meal that is substandard or unfit for consumption.

Programme officials also encouraged members of the public, including educators and stakeholders, to raise concerns directly through the appropriate channels to allow for prompt review and resolution.

They cautioned that public misrepresentation or distortion of facts undermines the work of teams who prepare and serve thousands of meals daily across the country.

The National School Meals Programme concluded by reaffirming its dedication to accountability, continuous improvement, and respectful dialogue in the best interest of the nation’s children, and thanked the public for its ongoing support.