The 38,000 VND meal portion is criticized as being too small; the school says students can buy more food.

A school lunch priced at 38,000 VND at a school in Ho Chi Minh City has been criticized online for being too small in portion size. The school stated that students can purchase additional food at the canteen.

On the afternoon of December 17th, images of a lunch meal allegedly served at Trung Vuong High School (Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) went viral on social media, accompanied by comments criticizing the meal as meager and lacking in food despite costing nearly 40,000 VND per serving.

The post quickly attracted the attention of parents, students, and the public, raising questions about the quality, quantity, and transparency of school lunch programs.

A school lunch costing nearly 40,000 VND went viral on social media on the afternoon of December 17th.

This afternoon (December 18th), a reporter from VTC News Online was present at Trung Vuong High School to observe the situation firsthand, and also to speak with school representatives, the parent-teacher association, and listen directly to the opinions of students who are eating lunch there.

According to circulating information, the meal in question costs 38,000 VND, but the portion of savory dishes is quite small, leaving many students unsatisfied. Some parents argue that at this price, the meal should be more proportionate, especially considering that high school students are in their developmental years and have high energy needs.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Trinh Van Thoai, representative of the Parents' Association of Trung Vuong High School, said that checking the quality of school meals was not only done after this incident but had been carried out regularly before.

“ We still conduct regular inspections. I personally tried the food and found the quality to be good, from the taste to the freshness, ” Mr. Thoai said.

Parents inspect school lunch meals at Trung Vuong High School on the afternoon of December 18th.

However, according to Mr. Thoai, the most contentious issue lies in the quantity. There are two opposing viewpoints: some parents find their children's meals satisfactory, while others argue that the portions are too small for their children's appetites. This varies greatly from student to student; some may find it insufficient, while others may find it excessive.

During lunch today, December 18th, reporters observed that the meal consisted of rice, soup, a main dish, boiled vegetables, and yogurt. Students could take extra rice and soup if needed. Some students said that there was generally enough rice and soup, but the extra rice was often cold.

NQTD, a 12th-grade student, commented: “ I think the school food is generally good, and the price of 38,000 VND is reasonable. There are four dishes to choose from each day, and on vegetarian days there are additional vegetarian options. Soup and rice can be refilled. However, the portion of meat in each serving is limited .”

Lunchtime at Trung Vuong High School on December 18th.

Another student commented that the rice and soup were sufficient, but the main course portions were a bit small for students' appetites, especially for male students. The fish dishes were delicious, such as braised fish with fragrant spices or braised fish in a clay pot, but the chicken or other dishes were too small.

Meanwhile, 12th-grade student D.Q.D said: “ At the beginning of the year, there was plenty of food, but it got scarcer later on. Sometimes, after eating, I would wake up hungry after a nap. Compared to outside, the 35,000 VND rice dish is tastier than the meals at school .”

According to Ms. Luong Bich Nga, Deputy Principal of Trung Vuong High School, the current price of a meal is 38,000 VND, not nearly 40,000 VND as some information on social media suggests. This price has been kept stable and applied to all students registered for the boarding program.

“ The school is implementing a model of purchasing meals from an industrial catering service. The supplier rents space on school grounds to cook, ensuring students receive hot meals. The school can check the origin of the ingredients and monitor the processing, ” Ms. Nga explained.

No increase in school lunch fees.

Regarding the control of meal portions, Ms. Luong Bich Nga stated that the contract with the supplier includes a detailed quantity breakdown. However, for pre-prepared meals, control is primarily based on observation and student feedback.

“ After the image of the fried meatballs went viral, the school immediately worked with the supplier. We noted that only this particular dish had a problem, while the other dishes were generally fine. Regarding the meatballs, the school suggested increasing the number from 8 to 10-12 if they are to continue being included in the menu ,” Ms. Nga said.

School leaders and parents spoke with reporters about the quality of school lunch programs.

The school also stated that it will strengthen direct inspections, even weighing some items when serving meals, to prevent similar complaints from recurring.

One issue that has drawn much attention from parents is the proposal to increase the price of school meals from 38,000 VND to 40,000 VND. According to Ms. Nga, the parent-teacher association had previously proposed this plan to improve quality, especially for students who need larger meals.

“ However, the school has not yet agreed because it is concerned that a uniform increase of 2,000 VND could cause difficulties for families in difficult circumstances. The school is trying to waive or reduce boarding fees and meal costs for disadvantaged students ,” Ms. Nga said.

Instead, the school proposed a more flexible solution: students could buy additional food for 2,000-3,000 VND at the canteen, or parents could proactively prepare extra meals if needed.

From a parent's perspective, Mr. Le Trung Kien, a parent of a student in class 10A11, believes that 38,000 VND is low compared to the general standard.

“ I support increasing the fee by 2,000 VND to improve quality. At the same time, there should be a hotline for parents and students to promptly report issues with the meals ,” Mr. Kien suggested.

The school's leadership also stated that the catering company providing meals to Trung Vuong High School has been operating there for 9 years, cooking approximately 2,000 meals daily. According to the school, food safety procedures such as sample retention are fully implemented; the canteen retains one sample, and the school retains another sample at the medical room for self-testing.

NGUYEN LIEN

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/suat-an-38-000-dong-bi-to-it-truong-noi-hoc-sinh-co-the-mua-them-thuc-an-ar993740.html