Hanoi Proposes Daily School Lunch Subsidy Cap at VND 50,000

Hanoi's People's Committee has completed public consultation on a draft regulation for educational support services, proposing to raise the daily lunch subsidy cap for students to VND 50,000. This proposal is part of a review of service fees in the education sector within the city. The proposed increase in lunch fees is likely considered in light of the ongoing price hikes across Vietnam in recent years. Particularly in urban areas, rising food prices have impacted household economies, and it is presumed that an increase in parental contributions is unavoidable to maintain and improve the quality of school lunches. Vietnam, under the one-party system of the Communist Party, has prioritized economic growth. As a result, the country has achieved remarkable economic development in recent years, contributing to the improvement of the people's living standards. However, challenges such as price increases accompanying economic growth and rising demands for the quality of public services like education and healthcare have also become apparent. In the education sector, various issues are being discussed, including textbook shortages and the timing for the introduction of computer-based high school graduation exams. The current proposal to increase lunch fees can be seen as one of the moves to seek a balance between improving the quality of educational services and financial sustainability. In Ho Chi Minh City, prompt responses to complaints regarding school lunches are also being demanded, indicating a growing national interest in the quality and safety of school meals. Source: Nhan Dan