RIYADH, 24 November — The Ministry of Education has started implementing a scheme to cultivate a milk-drinking habit among school children in the Kingdom.
In the preliminary stage, the scheme — called "milk break" — is being introduced to first form students in a number of schools with close cooperation between the school authorities and students’ families, said Saleh Al-Ansari, director of school health at the ministry.
The ministry also plans to increase the number of milk vending machines from 200 to 600 in the three cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam by the beginning of the second school term. A contract has been made with Al-Safi to implement the program.
Saleh Al-Ansari said the "milk break" means the allocation of five minutes after the first period every day to make students drink the milk, which they will have brought with them from home. Those who do not bring milk will be persuaded asked to bring some the following day.
The scheme’s objective in the first year is to raise the weekly milk consumption level of school children during school hours to two bottles and also to make milk drinks available at the school canteens on a permanent basis. Students are also induced to buy milk from canteens as the school health directorate earlier issued an order to make more milk more easily available there. These efforts will be effective in discouraging children’s habit of taking carbonated drinks.
