Flexible school lunch options

For the new school year, schools in Ho Chi Minh City will be more flexible with their lunch programs. Photo: D.X.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (a parent with two children attending primary and secondary school in Tan Binh district) said that she usually has to prepare milk and biscuits for her children to eat after their school lunch. According to Ms. Hong, if the children only have a little over 30,000 VND for two meals at school, it certainly won't be enough to ensure their health. Increasing the daily meal allowance by 5,000 VND for students is reasonable, especially given the recent increase in food prices. Paying too little won't provide a good meal for the children, especially those in secondary school who need to consume a lot of energy.

During the 2023-2024 school year, many schools in central districts 1, 3, 5, and Phu Nhuan faced difficulties due to the aforementioned fees, especially junior high schools. Ms. Nguyen Doan Trang, Principal of Nguyen Du Junior High School (District 1), stated that in order to maintain the fees according to general regulations, the school was forced to cut back on some student meals to ensure compliance.

Because in previous years the school charged 40,000 VND per student, the reduction of 5,000 VND surprised many parents who were worried about the quality of the meals. Therefore, allowing schools to charge 40,000 VND this school year is appropriate to meet parents' demands and gives the school more flexibility in choosing meal menus, creating better conditions for the physical well-being of the children so they can continue their studies and play.

Meanwhile, some other opinions suggest that the actual price levels between the central area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City and the suburban areas differ significantly, so allowing schools and parents to negotiate within a common framework is entirely appropriate and necessary. It also helps parents feel more secure and proactive in understanding and accurately assessing their children's school meals. While some schools in the city center might charge 40,000 VND, schools in the suburbs could charge a lower amount to meet student meal needs and parental expectations.

According to Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, for the 2024-2025 school year, public schools in the city will base their meal fees on the actual situation and negotiate with parents to determine the amount charged for school meals.

However, the fee increase will not exceed 15% compared to the previous school year. During the past school year, public schools in Ho Chi Minh City implemented the collection of boarding meal fees according to Resolution 04 of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council. Accordingly, schools in the inner city charged 35,000 VND/student/day; schools in the outer districts charged 32,000 VND/student/day. During implementation, many schools in the city center argued that the above fee did not guarantee adequate meals given the rising cost of living. Therefore, the quality of meals (including lunch and afternoon snacks) was only average, not high-quality.

Many parents also petitioned for adjustments to this fee to reflect the actual situation. Subsequently, in July 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council issued a new resolution, replacing the old one, allowing educational institutions more flexibility in collecting fees for school meals.

Flexibility between schools, and between parents and schools, in negotiating school lunch arrangements for students is crucial, necessary, and practical to ensure children have adequate meals during their school day of learning and playing, while also alleviating parents' concerns about the cost of these meals.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/linh-hoat-bua-an-ban-tru-10288593.html