Recently, 132 students were absent from school at Hoa Sen Kindergarten. The main reason many parents kept their children home was related to the school's lunch program.

Accordingly, on November 11th, the school will not be cooking or serving lunch. Instead, parents will bring lunch to their children or pick them up at lunchtime and bring them back to school in the afternoon.

The reason for this situation is the inability to reach a consensus between the school and parents regarding the selection of a food supplier for the school's lunch program.

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After a one-day break, Hoa Sen Kindergarten has resumed cooking and serving meals to its students.

Specifically, at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, the school signed a contract with a company that had all the necessary documents and permits to supply food for the school's lunch program. The selected company is Hong Quang General Services Co., Ltd., headquartered in Bat Xat district.

However, some parents argue that transporting food from the aforementioned supplier over a long distance to the school would compromise food quality, and that the supplier's prices are higher than market rates. Therefore, parents request that the school choose a food supplier within Bao Yen district.

To find common ground and resolve the aforementioned issue, on November 10th, Hoa Sen Kindergarten held a meeting with the participation of all parents and representatives from the local leadership and the Department of Education and Training of Bao Yen district.

Ms. Luc Thi My Le, Principal of Hoa Sen Kindergarten, said that at the end of the meeting, the issue of selecting and finding a food supplier remained unresolved, so the school proposed solutions such as parents bringing lunch to their children or picking up their children at lunchtime and bringing them back to school in the afternoon.

"On November 12th, a food supplier was provisionally selected, and this supplier will complete the procedures and paperwork within the next 1-2 days to ensure compliance with regulations and provide a long-term, stable food supply to the school," Ms. Le said.

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Teaching and learning activities at Hoa Sen Kindergarten are proceeding normally and steadily.

Speaking with reporters on the afternoon of November 12th, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoan, Deputy Head of the Education and Training Department of Bao Yen district, said that after a one-day suspension, teaching and lunch services at Hoa Sen Kindergarten resumed as normal. On November 13th, 38 students were absent due to illness or family matters, with an attendance rate of 85%.

According to Ms. Ngoan, not only Hoa Sen Kindergarten but all schools in Bao Yen district are strictly following the directives of the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Education and Training of Lao Cai province, including providing meal support for boarding students who live and eat at the school, and ensuring food safety at the schools.

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