Hanoi Primary School Faces Parent Backlash Over Alleged 'Fried Pork Skin' Lunch

Parents at Quang Bi 1 Primary School in Hanoi have expressed strong dissatisfaction after the main dish of the school lunch appeared to resemble 'fried pork skin' (tóp mỡ). On September 23, numerous parents visited the school's canteen and observed the provided meals. Videos and photos captured one of the two main dishes looking like fried pork skin. While kitchen staff explained it was 'pork loin and belly sliced from a whole piece,' parents pointed out many pieces were predominantly fat. Other items on the menu that day included stir-fried vegetables with bean sprouts, red dragon fruit, and soup. One parent stated their child's meal "lacked nutritional value and quality." They also noted that a prior agreement with the school limited dishes like bean sprouts, fried items, minced meat, and sausages to once a week, yet all were present that day. The incident garnered significant attention on parent forums. Ms. Le Thi Tuyet, Principal of Quang Bi 1 Primary School, denied the dish was fried pork skin, calling it "sesame-coated fried pork that was slightly overcooked." She mentioned a meeting with parents, local authorities, and the food supplier that afternoon to clarify the matter. A parent present at the meeting said they and others had requested the Quang Bi commune authorities to change the food supplier. Mr. Trinh Van Cuong, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Quang Bi Commune, explained that the "input" meat was pork belly and trotters, but the chef's thin slicing made it "unappealing." Around 9 PM, the People's Committee of Quang Bi Commune stated that reports of spoiled, discolored pork and students eating fried pork skin were "inaccurate." The meat was inspected by the school and parents early in the morning, with no abnormalities found. The commune has sent samples for quality testing. However, authorities acknowledged that concerns about the portion size relative to the 40,000 VND price "have merit." The food supplier has been instructed to maximize portions, balance the menu, change the chef from September 24, and switch the meat supplier. Quang Bi 1 Primary School currently has over 2,600 students. The price per lunch is 40,000 VND. This incident follows a series of complaints about school lunches in Hanoi since the beginning of the new academic year. Previously, parents at Trung Gia Primary School were upset about "meager" meals priced at 40,000 VND, while schools like Kim Bai, Nguyen Quy Duc, and Duc Giang experienced delivery delays of 2-3 hours for their meals. Over 633,000 primary school students in Hanoi (both public and private) currently receive daily lunch subsidies of 28,000-40,000 VND, an increase of 8,000 VND from the previous academic year. The common collection rate in schools is 35,000-40,000 VND, with any difference covered by parents. Source: VnExpress