The Eastern Cape Education Department says the Kenton-on-Sea school children who were admitted to health facilities on Monday had consumed pap served with sour milk that had gone off over the weekend.
Department spokesperson Mali Mtima says 120 learners from the Kamvalesizwe Primary School were admitted to clinics and the Port Alfred Hospital after complaining of stomach aches and vomiting.
He said the children were treated and by 8 pm on Monday, all had been discharged and were back at school on Tuesday.
Mtima said the explanation provided in a report from the school was that the sour milk was purchased on Friday for use on Monday and had not passed the expiry date.
However, he said the very hot weekend weather is believed to have caused the sour milk to turn bad even though it was being kept in a fridge.
Mtima said the Department's Director-General, Mweli Mathanzima, was visiting the school on Tuesday to allay the fears of parents "that those who are employed by the community but paid by the Department to serve meals did not mean to poison their kids."
"It was just an issue of the sour milk that was turned dangerous by the hot conditions," he said.
Department nutritionists are also on hand to ensure that the other food is good to eat.
"According to the report that they provided to us, the meals at the school are within prescribed limits for consumption. It's appropriate that the meals be eaten because they have not passed the best before date," said Mtima.
