Huynh Tan Phat Secondary School (Tan Thuan ward), Trung Son Secondary School, Le Quy Don Primary School (Binh Hung commune), Khanh Binh Secondary School (Chanh Hung commune), Tan Quy Primary School (Tan Hung ward), Nguyen Van Huong Primary School (Phu Thuan ward), and others announced the suspension of semi-boarding meals starting 29/1. This suspension will continue until investigation results regarding the food source are available or a new supplier is found. An estimated 6,100 students are affected.

At lunchtime, students are allowed to return home for meals. For parents unable to pick up their children, they can prepare packed lunches, and teachers will provide space for eating and resting at school.

Phu Thuan and Hoa Hong kindergartens in Phu Thuan ward, unable to suspend semi-boarding meals, urgently changed their food suppliers today, according to ward leaders.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Tao Primary School in Hiep Phuoc commune announced three options: continuing semi-boarding meals, picking up children for lunch, or preparing packed lunches for children to stay at school.

All nine units mentioned use meals or food supplied by a company in Hiep Phuoc commune. On 28/1, the Dan Viet newspaper reported that this company was using expired food and transforming buffalo meat into fresh pork before supplying it to schools.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training stated it is actively coordinating with relevant agencies to verify the incident. Schools decide on meal and food suppliers based on their capability profiles. Therefore, principals will bear the highest responsibility if semi-boarding meals encounter problems.

Semi-boarding meal for students at Tan Quy Primary School, 28/1. Photo: The school provided.

Last week, the Department for the first time issued specific regulations on managing semi-boarding meals and school hygiene. In addition to rules on food safety, origin, and kitchen procedures, the Department advised schools against using cooking oil repeatedly or mixing old and new oil for "savings".

Styrofoam boxes, single-use plastic items, and recycled packaging of unknown origin are restricted or prohibited from use in student meals.

Le Nguyen