Teachers' union criticizes ban on food sales in schools

The Council of Teachers' Unions strongly criticized the ban on selling food in schools during Ramadan.

The Ministry of Education issued a directive prohibiting the sale of food in school cafeterias during the month of Ramadan. Following this directive, the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Unions protested against it yesterday, writing: "Prohibiting the sale of food in schools is promoting violence and oppression against children's bodies. Children should not go hungry."

A circular issued with the signature and approval of Mohsen Abdul Malek, Deputy Minister of Education and Physical Education, states: "The activities of all cafeterias in urban and rural schools are prohibited from March 12, 1403 to April 15, 1404, and if any activity is observed, violators will be dealt with legally."

The Coordination Council of Teachers' Unions also published a picture of the circular, emphasizing that implementing this guideline is against the principles of nutrition science and wrote: "In a situation where poverty is widespread, such prohibitions can lead to more students going hungry. If the government cannot provide free nutrition, it should not prevent families from supporting their children with harmful circulars."

The council, while warning the education sector for institutionalizing this crisis, described the decision as an ideological directive lacking scientific and health support. The council also wrote on its Telegram channel in protest of the directive: “Education administrators, who are responsible for the physical and mental health of students, should not endanger their health with incorrect decisions. The physical and mental health of children should not be sacrificed to ideological considerations and economic inefficiency.”