Safe boarding meals

- Boarding meals play an important role in caring for and protecting children's health. In Lang Son, in recent years, ensuring food safety in school kitchens has always received special attention from authorities at all levels and functional sectors, in order to provide students with safe and nutritious meals.

Staff of Na Duong Mine Kindergarten (Na Duong commune) share lunch with children

On September 3, 2025, at An My Primary School ( Hung Yen province), 42 students and a teacher were hospitalized after a lunch meal, suspected of food poisoning; many students had to be monitored and treated for many days. This incident is a warning about the urgency of ensuring food safety in schools.

In Lang Son province, in recent years, food safety in schools has always been of concern and ensured by all levels and functional sectors. According to statistics from the Department of Education and Training, there are currently more than 400 kindergartens and primary schools in the province that organize semi-boarding kitchens, serving about 100,000 students every day. Recognizing the role of school meals in the physical and intellectual development of future generations, the provincial education and health sectors have implemented many synchronous solutions to ensure food safety.

Mr. Phan Lac Hoai Thanh, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Health, said: The Department has increased regular and surprise inspections, from input materials, processing procedures to food sample storage. Along with that, we closely coordinate with local authorities and the education sector in training and guidance so that all boarding kitchens meet safety regulations and ensure nutrition for students.

During the 2024-2025 school year, health authorities inspected 391 collective kitchens in schools in the area. The results showed that over 97% of facilities met the requirements for a well-ventilated environment and one-way kitchen arrangement; 99% properly stored food samples; 98% of catering staff were trained and had health certificates. In addition, 100% of schools with collective kitchens signed a commitment to strictly comply with food safety and hygiene regulations.

In parallel, the education sector has coordinated to organize more than 800 training sessions for school health workers and staff, improving skills in monitoring and processing safe food; more than 2,100 direct and indirect communication sessions on food safety and hygiene have been deployed, attracting the participation of over 137,000 students and parents.

Thanks to that, food safety in schools is always taken care of and ensured. Schools have built one-way kitchens according to regulations, from receiving - preliminary processing - processing - serving - preserving, ensuring a closed process, avoiding cross-contamination. All food sources are contracted with reputable suppliers, fully inspected for quality; the catering team is periodically trained and strictly implements 10 hygiene rules in processing.

Ms. Hoang Minh Hue, Vice Principal of Mo Na Duong Kindergarten (Na Duong Commune) shared: The school currently has 13 classes with more than 300 students. Identifying food safety as a top priority, the school has built a one-way kitchen, signed a contract with a reputable supplier and regularly trained the catering team. We closely coordinate with parents and the Commune Health Station in inspection and supervision. Thanks to that, children's meals are always safe, rich, nutritious and there have been no incidents over the years.

To have truly safe meals, the selection and control of food sources is considered the first "protection line". Ms. Phung Thi Duyen, Head of the Nutrition Team of 19/5 Kindergarten (Luong Van Tri Ward) shared: Right from the beginning of the school year, we have health check-ups and training on food safety. Every morning, before processing, we directly check the quantity, quality, expiry date and origin of food, record the food inspection book, compare invoices, and then start processing according to the one-way process. During the year, we also learn to prepare many new dishes, helping children eat more deliciously.

Thanks to the attention of all levels, sectors and educational institutions, each meal served at schools in the province is not only a full meal, but also a comprehensive care. For many years, the province has not had any food poisoning cases at schools.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/cham-lo-bua-com-hoc-tro-5058651.html