School lunch scandal involving "only a few pieces of meat": Students speak out.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - While some students believe the 38,000 VND school lunch at Trung Vuong High School (Ho Chi Minh City) is sufficient, others say it's too little, leaving them "hungry upon waking up."

Following complaints about the insufficient portion sizes of school lunches at Trung Vuong High School (Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), parent representatives directly inspected the lunch served on December 18th.

"Some say it's enough, others say it's not enough."

The Parent-Teacher Association of Trung Vuong High School conducted a surprise inspection of the school's lunch menu. At the time of the inspection, the menu consisted of four options: pork, fried fish fillet, fried chicken thigh, and braised pork with tofu; accompanied by rice, soup, boiled vegetables, and yogurt for dessert.

Lunch served at Trung Vuong High School on December 18th (Photo: Hoang Hoang).

Mr. Trinh Van Thoai, a member of the school's Parent Representative Board, praised the food for being fresh and having a clear origin, and for the dishes being palatable.

The parent also stated that they had made several surprise visits to the school to inspect the meals and had personally eaten with the students since the beginning of the year.

"Not only me, but any parent who wants to inspect the meals is allowed in, even unexpectedly," he said.

However, in terms of quantity, Mr. Thoai noted a difference in opinions among parents. Many believed the current meal portions were adequate, but others asserted that the amount of food was insufficient for the growing male students.

In November, the Parents' Association conducted a surprise inspection and found that some savory dishes were insufficient in quantity, so they requested the school to work with the catering company. The situation subsequently improved, and students gave positive feedback.

Parents of students at Trung Vuong High School inspect the school lunch on December 18 (Photo: Hoang Hoang).

Student B., in 11th grade, shared that some days there's enough savory food, but other days there's quite little, like only one sausage or about eight meatballs, or only ten quail eggs.

"Sometimes, after eating and taking a nap, I still feel hungry, and I don't have the energy to do anything in the afternoon," the male student shared.

In contrast to B., T., a 10th-grade student, felt that the portion size was appropriate for women, and the students at the table frequently shared food with each other.

Proposal to increase prices to ensure quality.

Given the high cost of food in the city center, Mr. Le Trung Kien, a parent of a student in class 10A11, suggested increasing the price of school meals from 38,000 VND to 40,000 VND.

He said that parents in the class reported that the meals were adequate for girls but insufficient for boys, depending on each child's appetite. However, the portions of the dishes were not evenly distributed, with some dishes appearing substantial and others not.

This parent also stated that at the current price, it is difficult to expect a truly substantial and high-quality meal. Furthermore, he suggested that the school establish a hotline to promptly receive feedback regarding the school lunch program.

"My child attends junior high school in the Thu Duc area, and the meal cost 40,000 VND. This school, located in the city center, charges 38,000 VND, which is unlikely to be a substantial meal," Mr. Kien commented.

Lunch served at Trung Vuong High School on December 18th (Photo: Huyen Huyen).

Responding to parents, Ms. Luong Bich Nga, Deputy Principal of Trung Vuong High School, said that they had received many suggestions to increase the price of school meals by 2,000 VND. However, the school assessed that this would affect disadvantaged families and therefore did not implement it. The school will consider this matter in the future.

"For now, we will be more closely monitoring the quality and quantity of meals to ensure that students are well-fed and that the cost is justified," Ms. Nga said.

Ms. Luong Bich Nga stated that she had requested the meal provider to pay attention to the quantity of savory dishes. Specifically, the fried meatballs need to be increased if they continue to appear on the menu. To ensure that students' meals are adequate and of the correct quantity, the school will strengthen supervision during mealtimes and check the quantity of savory dishes.

According to her, the contract with the catering company clearly specifies the quantities and prices of savory dishes, stir-fries, desserts, rice, and soup. They weigh the ingredients and food during the preparation process.

Students have lunch at school (Photo: Hoang Hoang).

From the school's perspective, when the food is served, the teachers only observe and check it visually.

"The teachers in charge of the boarding school only weigh the food when they feel there's not enough, not weighing it 100% beforehand. The school will be increasing the number of weighings to check for discrepancies in the future," Ms. Nga shared.

She also mentioned that earlier today, the fish fillet dish initially only had 3 pieces on the tray, but she found it insufficient, checking that it was less than 80 grams, so she asked the kitchen to add more.

Previously, on December 17th, images of a school lunch meal, allegedly from Trung Vuong High School, priced at 40,000 VND, went viral on social media. The post quickly attracted thousands of interactions, with most comments criticizing the food as being too salty and insufficient for the price.

A school representative confirmed that the image of the meal shown was the school's lunch on the same day, but stated that it "does not fully reflect the reality." The meal costs 38,000 VND, not 40,000 VND as reported. The price has remained stable since last year, including food ingredients, spices, processing costs, and taxes.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/vu-suat-an-ban-tru-bi-to-chi-vai-vien-thit-hoc-sinh-len-tieng-20251218144448831.htm