Vietnam PM Orders Schools to Prioritize Safety, Nutrition Over Low Prices for Student Meals

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has issued strict instructions to local authorities across Vietnam, emphasizing that the selection of student meal providers must not be based solely on low prices. This directive prioritizes safety, nutrition, and supply capacity, responding to growing concerns from parents about the quality and cost of school meals. In a dispatch dated September 13, the Prime Minister urged chairpersons of provincial and municipal People's Committees to immediately address shortcomings and inadequacies in the provision of boarding and semi-boarding meals for students. The government will not tolerate lax management, insufficient inspection and supervision, or unclear responsibilities in the event of incidents. Local authorities are mandated to enhance inspections of food suppliers, meal services, and cooking operations. This includes stringent control over the origin and quality of ingredients, as well as conditions for processing, storage, transportation, delivery, and sample retention. Organizations and individuals found in violation will face severe penalties, and providers failing to meet requirements will be replaced. The People's Committees at the commune (xã) level are tasked with selecting and contracting meal and cooking service providers for schools within their jurisdiction, and supervising the implementation process. The selection must be transparent and objective, with food safety, nutritional value, supply capacity, traceability, and student welfare as core criteria. "Do not select food suppliers based solely on low prices," the dispatch clearly stated. For schools equipped with their own kitchens, commune governments will direct the selection and contracting of food and ingredient suppliers that comply with regulations, ensuring clear origin, safety, and suitability for nutritional needs. Facilities that supply meals to multiple schools, serve a large number of students, or pose a significant food safety risk will be subject to special scrutiny. In the event of an incident, local authorities must provide timely emergency care and treatment, trace the origin, determine the cause, contain and handle the source of risk, and disseminate accurate information. "There must be absolutely no delay in handling incidents that affect the health of children and students," the Prime Minister stressed. Schools are required to publicly disclose menus, suppliers, and food origins to allow parents to monitor and supervise. However, parental involvement is intended to enhance transparency and does not replace the management responsibilities of the government and educational institutions. The Ministry of Education and Training is assigned to finalize regulations on boarding and semi-boarding meals and collaborate with the Ministry of Health to guide the development of menus that are rich in energy, nutritionally balanced, diverse in food items, and appropriate for students' age and physical condition. The ministry will also establish a database for school meals to monitor and warn of potential risks. This directive comes in the wake of complaints from parents at several primary schools in Hanoi, who reported meals with few dishes, disproportionate to the fees paid, or late deliveries. For instance, at Trung Giã Primary School, a meal costing 40,000 VND (with parental contribution) consisted of only minced meat, bean sprouts, and a piece of grilled pork skewer. At Kim Bài Primary School, food was delivered nearly two hours late for two consecutive days, with some portions lacking rice or soup, prompting parents to pick up their children early or keep them home due to concerns about hunger. On September 9, the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee requested an inspection of the reported issues concerning semi-boarding meals in Bồ Đề ward, Trung Giã commune, and Thanh Oai commune, and vowed strict action against any individuals or organizations found to be in violation.