The Municipality and Planning Department – Ajman (MPDA) has announced the launch of a comprehensive inspection campaign across schools in the Emirate, coinciding with the start of the new academic year. The campaign forms part of an integrated plan aimed at fostering a safe and healthy educational environment for students and staff in educational institutions. The MPDA emphasized that student safety remains a top priority, in line with the Ajman Vision 2030, which seeks to enhance the attractiveness and liveability of the Emirate.
Dr. Eng. Khalid Muin Al Hosani, Executive Director of the Public Health Sector at the MPDA, affirmed that the MPDA is adopting proactive supervisory measures and plans. These include monitoring and approving school food suppliers in line with the highest food safety standards, ensuring that establishments hold top regulatory ratings, comply with food safety systems, and provide accurate nutritional labels detailing ingredients and allergens. He also stressed the strict prohibition of any banned food products within school environments, underscoring the MPDA’s commitment to guaranteeing safe and healthy nutrition for students.
Regular Inspection Program
Dr. Al Hosani explained that the MPDA has put in place a regular inspection program to ensure the safety of food and water in schools. As part of the program, samples are taken on a routine basis and subjected to microbiological and chemical laboratory tests to verify compliance with approved standards. Immediate actions are taken against any non-compliant products, including temporary suspension until corrective measures are applied, to ensure that students are not exposed to any health risks.
Training Programs for School Canteen Supervisors
Dr. Al Hosani added that the MPDA’s qualified specialists have organized dedicated training programs to equip school canteen supervisors with the necessary skills, with the aim of enhancing staff competencies in food safety, raising awareness of proper health practices, and ensuring compliance with safe school nutrition requirements — measures that directly contribute to improving students’ health and daily wellbeing.
As part of its efforts to enhance public safety within educational facilities, the MPDA is continuing to implement a program for the certification of school swimming pools. The initiative includes testing water quality, checking the efficiency of filtration and disinfection systems, and ensuring the availability of rescue equipment and certified lifeguards. The inspection campaign also extends to evaluating indoor sports facilities and verifying compliance with health and safety requirements.
Air Quality in the School Environment
Continuing its comprehensive approach, the MPDA places strong emphasis on monitoring air quality within schools. A regular program is in place to measure indoor air quality, covering carbon dioxide concentrations, fine particulate matters, and volatile organic compounds. The program also evaluates the performance of ventilation and air-conditioning systems, while providing schools with the necessary technical recommendations to ensure a clean, pollutant-free environment.
School Environment Free from Public Health Pests
To ensure a safe and healthy school environment, the MPDA continues to oversee schools’ compliance with contracts signed with approved pest control companies. This includes carrying out documented preventive pest control visits and verifying that all pesticides and materials used are authorized and safe for public health. In addition, the MPDA’s teams conduct field surveys and inspections to confirm that the school environment is free from pests or potential hazards — guaranteeing a safe and secure learning environment for students.
It is worth noting that the MPDA reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to safeguarding students’ health and providing an educational environment free from pollutants or sources of risk. The MPDA emphasized that it will continue working in close coordination with all relevant entities to ensure the success of the 2025 academic year in line with the highest international standards of health and safety.
