Food poisoning disturbs schooling

Food poisoning disturbs schooling

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: The Sabuk Indah II primary school has
kept its doors open despite the food poisoning incident that
killed two students last week.

But the incident clearly disturbed class, Antara quoted Sri
Wardhani of the local office of the Ministry of Education and
Culture.

She said her office decided there was no reason to close
school. The students unaffected in the incident still needed to
go to school, as did the remaining teachers and employees, she
added.

Sri said that 192 of the school's 220 students became ill
after consuming mung beans porridge prepared by local housewives.
Four teachers were also ill, along with two infants fed by their
mothers.

Two students, Surianto (13) and Darus Dewantara (8), died. As
of Tuesday, some 50 students were still in hospital.

The school was among thousands of elementary schools included
in the food supplemental program for children in poor villages in
July last year. The program aims to help the growth and
development of children.

The additional food, cooked and supplied by local housewives,
is handed out free three times a week at a cost of Rp 350 (15
U.S. cents) per child per day. (swe)