Celebrating school milk globally
Here in the UK, schools have now been open for a few weeks for the new school year. Depending on where you are in the world, the schools are open, or they are phasing in their reopenings.
To get a school open and compliant with the rules for social distancing is a logistical nightmare on a good day, but when there’s an international pandemic, it doesn’t bear thinking about. So much has to be looked at – facilities, ventilation, catering, staff and child safety, to name just a few.
My child is enjoying being back at school and the masks and constant handwashing seem like small prices to pay for the joy of seeing his friends again every day, and learning.
Plus, his teachers don’t yell at him as much as his stressed out parents did during home education, I am sure. Our gratitude cannot be over-expressed for the teachers and administrators working hard to keep the children in school and engaged, while untangling all the new regulations that have to be put in place.
As we all know, school milk is a big part of a many countries’ dairy industries, and having the children back in school where they can drink milk and enjoy it is key to this. The dairy industry is going to have to think outside the box a bit when it comes to things like the UN FAO’s World School Milk Day, which is set for this Wednesday, 30 September.
As it celebrates its 21st anniversary, the events held in more than 25 different countries will have a different feel to it, due to social distancing requirements. But I am sure we will still see a variety of educational celebrations for this very important day in the dairy calendar.
I for one look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with, and hope they can continue to have a few people dressed like cows, no matter where they celebrate World School Milk Day.
- Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
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