Legislation in Zhejiang: Primary and secondary schools with centralized dining should have school personnel accompany students during meals
The newly revised “Regulations on the Protection of Minors in Zhejiang Province” was passed by the 13th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Provincial People’s Congress on November 27 and will be implemented starting from 2025. It requires that schools implementing centralized meals should have school personnel eat on the same standard as students for every meal.
The “Regulations” systematically stipulate the protection of minors’ rights and interests in aspects such as family protection, school protection, social protection, online protection, government protection, and judicial protection. Article 26 stipulates that schools and kindergartens should establish and improve food safety management systems and assign personnel for food safety and nutrition health management. For schools implementing centralized meals, relevant school administrators and class teachers should eat on the same standard as students for every meal, and properly keep records of meal companionship as required. School staff are encouraged and supported to eat on the same standard as students in schools implementing centralized meals. School cafeterias should implement open kitchens, disclose food processing and preparation processes, and schools should establish a system for parent representatives to supervise the on-site food processing and preparation in cafeterias.
Additionally, scripts used in script-based entertainment venues should include age-appropriate guidance and indicate the suitable age range. If the set scenarios are not suitable for minors, operators should prominently display warnings and shall not allow minors to enter. Except for national statutory holidays, rest days, and summer and winter vacations, script-based entertainment venues shall not provide script-based entertainment activities to minors. Tattoo services shall not be provided to minors, and operators should prominently display signs indicating that tattoo services are not provided to minors and provide a reporting hotline at their business premises.
