The '11 students ate two packets of instant noodles with rice' incident: Principal resigns, will that be the end of it?

Regarding the report that '11 students had to eat only two packets of instant noodles with rice' in Lao Cai, the principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School has resigned. Will the disciplinary action stop there?

The People's Committee of Lao Cai province has just released official information regarding the incident where "11 students had to eat only two packets of instant noodles with white rice," which occurred at Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School.

According to a report from the People's Committee of Bac Ha District (Lao Cai), Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha, Principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School, has submitted his resignation.

Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha, Principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Semi-Boarding Ethnic Minority Primary School , has submitted his resignation.

SCREENSHOT FROM VTV

The meal showed signs of being skimmed, which is accurate.

According to a report from the People's Committee of Bac Ha District, the information regarding the alleged embezzlement of school lunch at Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School is accurate.

The inspection revealed numerous violations at the school, such as the lack of a record of payments for excess meal costs to students, and the principal failing to sign off on many food import and export documents.

Incident of boarding school students in Lao Cai lacking food: Principal resigns.

In addition, the cash disbursement vouchers lacked numbers and the signatures of the principal and the recipient. The daily food purchase records did not match the monthly food purchase records.

Furthermore, the food was delivered from the supplier to the warehouse, but the recipient did not check the quantity and quality of the goods, nor did they sign any records. There was a discrepancy between the actual quantity of food and the amount paid.

The report also acknowledges that the claim that parents did not receive the remaining money for school meals is valid. Currently, the school only purchases new textbooks for grade 4 students, while grades 1, 2, 3, and 5 use old textbooks and purchase additional books to fill any shortages. Therefore, the information that parents did not receive the monthly learning support of 150,000 VND is also well-founded.

In his resignation letter, Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha, Principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Semi-Boarding Ethnic Minority Primary School , acknowledged his personal responsibility for leadership and management shortcomings that led to negative public opinion.

The District People's Committee has received Mr. Ha's resignation letter. However, due to the complex nature of the case involving multiple people, at various times, the district has forwarded the complaint to the police for further investigation.

Will resigning solve the problem?

The incident at Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School has received significant public attention. Some have expressed concerns: the principal has submitted a resignation letter; if it is accepted, will the disciplinary process for any violations (if any) be halted?

According to lawyer Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Head of the Connect Law Office, Hanoi Bar Association, resignation is merely the principal's personal wish and does not constitute the conclusion of the matter.

Quick update at 8 PM on December 22nd: Conclusion of the case regarding boarding school students lacking food.

If misconduct is confirmed, and the act has been completed, depending on the nature, extent, and consequences of the act, the competent authorities will proceed with holding the principal accountable.

According to information from the People's Committee of Bac Ha District, initial findings indicate that Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School has committed numerous violations regarding boarding school meal fees and student support funds. These violations (if any) are serious, therefore transferring the case to the police for further investigation is appropriate. The police may consider whether there are any criminal elements involved in the aforementioned case.

The image shows boarding students at Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School eating instant noodles with white rice.

SCREENSHOT FROM VTV

Lawyer Hung cited information from a VTV television news report, showing that the breakfast for 11 students consisted of only two packets of instant noodles with white rice. Meanwhile, the menu stated that each student was entitled to one packet of noodles and one egg.

Similarly, for lunch and dinner, the list indicated that in addition to vegetables, there were 14 kg of pork and 11 kg of bones. However, students only received a small amount of chopped ham and vegetable soup; even when the vegetables in the kitchen rotted, students were mobilized to pick them out.

Furthermore, the students have to use old school supplies, even though they receive a monthly allowance of 150,000 VND to buy books and school supplies. The school claims to have reimbursed the parents, but the parents deny it.

It is known that in the first semester of this school year, Hoang Thu Pho 1 Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary School has 174 boarding students who benefit from the support policy. This includes over 50 million VND for meals over 4 months, and a monthly allowance of 150,000 VND per student for school supplies.

Results of the investigation into the alleged embezzlement of school lunches for boarding students.

"That amount is relatively large. The police can rely on the statements of the person in charge of cooking, the food supplier, or invoices and receipts… to determine how much the school actually spent on students," the lawyer analyzed.

In the event that the financial assistance is found to have been embezzled, lawyer Hung believes there are signs of misappropriation of assets. Authorities need to clarify the total amount of money misappropriated, who benefited, and how long the case has been ongoing…

According to Article 353 of the Penal Code, anyone who abuses their position or authority to misappropriate property under their responsibility worth 2 million VND or more is sufficient grounds for initiating criminal proceedings for the crime of embezzlement.

According to lawyer Hung, the above assessments are merely hypotheses based on initial information. The accurate results still await conclusions from the police.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vu-11-hoc-sinh-an-2-goi-mi-chan-com-hieu-truong-tu-chuc-lieu-co-xong-185231222143423324.htm