There was panic at Ikamvalesizwe Combined School in Ekuphumleni, Kenton-on-Sea recently after more than 80 pupils became sick after eating a meal in the school’s nutrition programme.
The pupils were taken to Port Alfred Hospital by ambulance and parents rushed to the school after being alerted to the situation.
Some parents contacted Talk of the Town to voice their concerns and frustration.
According to one of the parents, who identified himself as Siyabulela Fanyana, pupils started getting sick after being served with school meal.
“The learners were served with amasi and after that they began to have sore stomachs. Others were vomiting. They say the amasi was smelling strange, as a result others did not eat this meal,” he said.
Fanyana shared some pictures of food being poured onto the grass by pupils. He said claimed that the food was old and could not endure the smell.
He said when teachers noticed a number of pupils were getting sick after having the meal, an ambulance was called and parents were also informed to fetch their children.
In a video shared with Talk of the Town, pupils could be seen hunched over in pain, holding their stomachs and crying while they were loaded into an ambulance. Nurses could be seen assisting them to get into the ambulance. There were also photos of the scene. Other photos show parents gathered at the school kitchen.
Another tearful parent Patricia Nomise Ntlale, came in to the TotT office to speak about her grandchild, who showed signs of sickness a few hours after having the school meal.
“What are we supposed to do in situations like this? I was called and told that I must rush to the hospital to check my grandchild, Iviwe Ntlale, who is sick after eating the school meal. She did not get sick at school. She was fine when she left the school but when she got home she vomited and collapsed. She was quickly rushed to hospital after that, and I am going to see her now,” she said.
Ntlale said the school advised pupils who were showing no signs of sickness to go home but also told them they must go to hospital if they were feeling sick while they were at home.
Confirming the incident, Eastern Cape education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima sent an update which stated: “About 120 Ikamvalesizwe Primary School learners, in Kenton-on-Sea have been admitted at the Port Alfred Hospital after complaining of stomach aches and vomiting, this afternoon [Monday]. It is alleged that these learners started showing signs of this after having a meal served at their school during the lunch break period as part of the school nutrition programme.”
The statement said departmental officials from the district, provincial office and the Department of Basic Education were on site monitoring the situation. The district office was currently providing psychosocial services to the pupils, teachers and parents, according to Mtima.
“The department is monitoring the situation in collaboration with the department of health. Currently, all officials and parents are still awaiting medical reports on what led to the situation,” he said.
