Kindergarten Teacher Lunch: The Forgotten Meal

A series of photos showing what is allegedly the teachers' lunch at Anh Duong Kindergarten (Chau Duc district, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) have been posted on social media. These meals consist only of rice, one soup, and one main dish, with portions only equivalent to the standard school lunch for kindergarten children.

Specifically, the savory portion consists of 2 slices of Vietnamese pork sausage, or 3 small pieces of fatty pork (about the size of a thumb) braised with 2 pieces of bamboo shoots, or a handful of pork braised in coconut milk with very thinly sliced ​​meat, or a piece of egg omelet with meat.

A picture of a meager lunch served at Anh Duong Kindergarten, taken by a kindergarten teacher (Photo: Provided by the school).

Looking at the meal, no one would believe this is the teachers' lunch.

On the afternoon of September 17th, during a meeting with the Chairman of the Chau Duc District People's Committee, the teachers broke down in tears and confirmed that the images of the meal were authentic. They stated that they had to pay 30,000 VND for each meal like this.

Last year, also at this school, a cafeteria worker was fired after reporting that the school was under-checking the quality of school meals for students.

The incident at Anh Duong Kindergarten has not yet received an official conclusion from the local authorities, but it partly reveals a reality that, for a long time, what the teachers eat has been something few people have paid attention to.

Amidst the vast amount of information related to school lunch programs, from preschool to high school, meals for teachers are almost completely overlooked.

Speaking to a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper, Ms. NHT - a preschool teacher in Hanoi - said: "According to regulations, teachers' meals must be separate from children's meals, but in the preschools where I taught before, some complied and some did not."

In institutions with good revenue, teachers can eat more and of better quality, and vice versa. However, the cost of a teacher's meal is usually no more than 20,000 VND. If the kitchen is skilled, this amount of money is enough for the teachers to eat their fill.

I once quit my job at a facility after a three-month probationary period because the owner made the teachers share food with the children, and most of the savory dishes were pureed or finely chopped."

Ms. T. also added that supplementary meals and fruit for dessert for preschool teachers are a "luxury." Meanwhile, their working hours typically extend from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM for teachers in public schools and 6:00 PM for teachers in private schools and independent daycare centers. Lunch breaks are no more than an hour.

"As I teach at a private school, I have to prepare my own snacks, especially sweets and candies, to prevent hunger and low blood pressure, especially in the afternoons," Ms. T. said.

Sharing her experience, Ms. NHC, a kindergarten teacher in Lang Son, said that the teachers' lunch allowance is only about 15,000 VND, which is very meager.

"In my 15 years of teaching, I've never had a proper lunch at school. We have to take turns, some eating before others to ensure the children are always within the teacher's sight. We have to eat quickly so we can go back and relieve the other person so they can eat."

Since the advent of camera technology, parents monitor every move of the teachers. If a teacher leaves the frame for more than 5 minutes, we receive feedback the very next day. Therefore, our mealtimes are usually limited to just 20 minutes for both of us.

Because we ate with that mindset, we didn't enjoy the food. Sometimes we ate without even knowing what we were eating.

Therefore, when I saw the image of my colleague's meager lunch with only 2-3 pieces of meat, I was moved to tears. The work of raising children is so hard, yet the salary is lower than that of a domestic helper, and the meals are like those for preschoolers. I wonder if we are even respected?"

According to Ms. C., the reason teachers often remain silent instead of complaining and demanding their legitimate rights is because they are afraid of losing their jobs. "My friend, who teaches in Hanoi, witnessed children having to eat unhealthy food every day, complained to the school principal, and was fired immediately afterward."

Another friend of mine defended the children's rights by secretly taking pictures of their meals with her phone, sending them to parents, and then proactively resigning before the parents could report the school on social media.

"She also had to ask her parents to keep her full identity a secret because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to find a job anywhere," Ms. C. said.

Ms. C. added that the job of a preschool teacher requires good health. The stressful working conditions wear down the body very quickly. However, there are no regulations regarding compensation for preschool teachers through meals.

Currently, the government has no regulations regarding lunch allowances for preschool teachers, except for the lunchtime supervision system implemented in some provinces.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/suat-an-trua-cua-giao-vien-mam-non-bua-an-bi-lang-quen-20240918162156057.htm