GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Education Department says it will ensure that the canteen operator in a national-type Tamil school (SJKT) complies fully with Health Department orders to clean and sanitise the premises after the discovery of rat droppings.
State Education director Mohd Dziauddin Mat Saad said the canteen was ordered to shut down for two weeks on Thursday (May 14) for violating Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 by operating unhygienic food premises.
"It is a routine procedure by the health authorities following an inspection that uncovered rat droppings on the premises," he said when contacted on Friday (May 15).
Dziauddin said the canteen operator was also issued a compound notice.
He said that so far, no food poisoning cases have been reported among pupils or teachers at the school.
He said the school has also appointed a temporary contractor to provide Supplementary Food Programme (RMT) meals and other food during the canteen closure.
Last month, a cafeteria in a private hospital and famous eatery in the city were ordered to close after health inspectors found rat droppings on the premises during routine inspections.
