Wednesday 6 May 2026
The Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) participated in the First Forum for Administrative and Financial Affairs Specialists, organized by the Directorate General of Education in Muscat Governorate on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, under the patronage of Dr. Abdullah bin Khalfan Al Shibli, Director of the Career Guidance and Student Counseling Department. The forum was held by the Career Guidance and Student Counseling Department (Guidance and Awareness Section), with the participation of department directors, school principals, and administrative and financial affairs specialists from schools across Muscat Governorate. This participation comes as part of efforts to strengthen institutional partnerships and enhance coordination among relevant entities.
The forum was organized as part of ongoing efforts to develop administrative and financial systems in schools by building effective partnerships that contribute to enhancing the efficiency of specialized staff, particularly in monitoring school canteens in accordance with approved health standards.
It aimed to improve administrative and financial performance and promote knowledge exchange across educational institutions by equipping specialists with the skills needed to address challenges related to monitoring school nutrition. It also emphasized unifying oversight mechanisms among relevant entities, namely Muscat Municipality, the Consumer Protection Authority, and the Ministry of Health, to enhance compliance with health standards.
The forum also focused on promoting food safety awareness and healthy nutrition among students, raising awareness of food safety standards in school canteens, and introducing emergency plans for handling food poisoning cases.
The forum included specialized papers presented by various entities such as Muscat Municipality, the Consumer Protection Authority, and the Ministry of Health, addressing administrative and professional aspects, as well as discussing best practices to enhance institutional performance.
The CPA’s participation included a working paper titled:
“Consumer Protection in the School Environment: Rights and Responsibilities of Cooperative Society Tenants”, presented by Dr. Munira Al Fikriya, Media Specialist at the Authority. The paper aimed to raise consumer awareness among school administrations, canteen staff, and students, and to promote a culture of compliance with rights and responsibilities to ensure a safe and fair educational environment.
The paper covered three main themes: consumer rights in the school environment, responsibilities of cooperative society tenants, and mechanisms for handling consumer complaints within schools, along with procedures to ensure prompt response and protection of beneficiaries’ rights.
The forum concluded with an interactive discussion session that resulted in several practical recommendations to enhance the quality of administrative and financial work in the educational field. The Authority’s recommendations focused on strengthening oversight of school canteens, ensuring the availability of safe food products, mandating clear display of prices and product ingredients, ensuring tenants adhere to approved pricing, and conducting regular product inspections.
The recommendations also emphasized training canteen staff on health and safety standards, strengthening partnerships between the Authority and educational institutions, activating clear and rapid communication channels such as school administrations, digital platforms, and hotlines, and ensuring proper documentation and follow-up of complaints.
This participation reflects the Authority’s efforts to enhance integration with relevant entities and contribute to achieving Oman Vision 2040 goals, particularly in improving quality of life, ensuring food safety, and building a safe and healthy educational environment for students.