Stirring up controversy over elementary school canteens in Hanoi importing rotten fish and smelly meat

(Dan Tri) - Since the afternoon of October 23, many images and clips of the unsafe food kitchen at Chu Minh Primary School (Quang Oai Commune, Hanoi) have been shared across social networks.

According to the images that went viral, a group of parents suddenly inspected the school kitchen and discovered a bag of tilapia fillets with rotten fish pieces. One person held the fish in front of the camera, gently rubbed it with his hand, causing the fish flesh to rot.

In addition, a basket of meat was said to have been washed to remove the rancid and slimy smell, but the smell still did not go away.

A woman in the clip admitted that it was the food supplier's fault and apologized, but the group of parents did not accept it.

The photos of spoiled fish and meat were said to have been taken in the kitchen of Chu Minh Primary School, Hanoi (Photo:

The incident is said to have occurred at the kitchen of Chu Minh Primary School, Quang Oai Commune, Hanoi City.

Responding to Dan Tri reporter, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam - Chairman of Quang Oai Commune People's Committee - said that the incident happened in early October. Immediately after receiving information from parents, Quang Oai Commune People's Committee inspected the food supply activities at Chu Minh School, then terminated the contract with the boarding meal supplier, Dao Luong Investment & Trading Joint Stock Company.

From October 6, Chu Minh School's boarding kitchen will be temporarily closed while selecting and organizing a bidding process for a new meal supplier.

According to Ms. Nam, on the morning of October 24, the school had a meeting with parents to discuss this issue, in order to soon re-deploy the boarding kitchen.

Previously, parents of students at Cu Khe Primary School (Binh Minh Commune) also complained about the boarding kitchen when they discovered spoiled meat and rotten eggs. Immediately after that, the school had to terminate the contract with Nhat Anh Company - the food supplier.

On October 3, Hanoi established an interdisciplinary inspection team to organize meals for boarding students at schools in the area.

Accordingly, the interdisciplinary inspection team will inspect all three contents directly related to students' meals: the direction, management and supervision of the People's Committees of wards and communes; the selection, signing of contracts and supervision by the school of the unit providing the meals; the compliance with the law and food safety conditions of the meal supplier.

With the form of surprise inspections in all communes and wards in the city, the inspection team will work from October 6 to May 31, 2026.

The head of the inspection team is Vice Chairman of the city Vu Thu Ha.

From the 2025-2026 school year, Hanoi will support boarding meals for primary school students, including both public and private schools, excluding foreign-invested schools.

Accordingly, there are 2 groups of beneficiaries of this policy with different levels of support. The group of students from 23 schools in mountainous communes and the Red River delta are supported with 30,000 VND for meals/day.

The remaining group of students are supported with 20,000 VND for meals/day.

In case parents and school agree on a meal fee higher than the state subsidy, the difference will be collected from the student.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/xon-xao-bep-an-hoc-sinh-tieu-hoc-o-ha-noi-nhap-ca-uon-thit-boc-mui-20251024150648312.htm