Belief in a student's lunch

Images of a school lunch tray, allegedly from Ba Don No. 1 Primary School (Quang Tri province), showing only a small amount of white rice, three pieces of fish cake, a boiled egg, some sesame salt, and a bowl of vegetable soup, have gone viral on social media, causing distress among many parents and teachers. This meal is significantly less than the school's fee of 25,000 VND.

The image shows a student's lunch tray, allegedly from Ba Don No. 1 Primary School ( Quang Tri province).

This seemingly minor story has touched upon a major societal concern: Are school meals being provided properly and transparently in other schools? Previously, in Da Lat, parents and school administrators at Trung Vuong Primary School filed a complaint accusing the principal of contracting with a supplier to provide contaminated food in the school's kitchen. In Quang Tri province, 40 students at Kim Thuy Ethnic Boarding Primary School were hospitalized after eating a breakfast of sticky rice cakes... For many years, parents have continuously expressed their outrage on social media and confronted schools about numerous incidents related to school meals. This concern, sometimes taken to extremes, stems from a legitimate desire: to ensure their children eat enough, eat clean food, and are treated with respect.

For those who truly work in education , hearing about poor-quality school meals somewhere is heartbreaking. It's not just about the damage to their professional reputation, but also about the feeling of helplessness as parents' trust in schools becomes increasingly fragile. A school lunch might only cost a few tens of thousands of dong, but it contains not only material value but also a measure of conscience, character, and professional ethics.

When students are forced to eat substandard meals, they not only lose physical energy but also suffer psychological harm. Every day they are taught about honesty, fairness, and compassion, yet they become victims of those who provide these poor-quality meals. While such incidents may not be widespread, each one is like a needle piercing the hearts of millions of teachers striving to uphold the image of "the Teacher." Just a few individuals lacking transparency can damage the reputation of the entire education sector.

Most of these negative incidents are quickly forgotten because it's difficult to accurately assess the cost of a school meal. The incidents are often judged subjectively, then fade away with the anger and forgetfulness of those involved. It's time for the education sector and local authorities to establish clear regulations, with systematic supervision, and to consider the quality of school meals as part of character education and public service ethics. Many experts suggest installing surveillance cameras throughout school kitchens so parents can monitor remotely. When public supervision becomes the norm, community skepticism will gradually be replaced by respect.

Preserving the integrity of students' school meals is also a way to maintain trust and preserve the pure image of the educational environment. Furthermore, it's a way for each lesson on ethics, aimed at perfecting students' character, to be more than just empty words; it's demonstrated through practical, simple, and sincere actions.

NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/niem-tin-trong-dia-com-hoc-tro-post818645.html