Ha Quang Trong, Chairman of Van Lang Commune People's Committee, announced on 8/4 that the decision to suspend the principal took immediate effect.

According to Trong, authorities discovered that meat used for school meals at Hoa Binh Kindergarten tested positive for African swine fever virus and E. coli bacteria, consistent with parents' independent test results.

"The commune has instructed the school to change to a reputable food supplier, review its school meal procedures, and involve parents in supervision," Trong stated.

The incident began on 25/3, after a parent noticed that meat prepared for school meals had an "unusual" smell and "yellowish fat."

Parents met with the principal to express concerns, but the school board maintained the meat was fine. The principal, vice-principal, and several kitchen staff even stir-fried and tasted the meat in front of parents to reassure them of its quality.

Unconvinced, parents demanded different ingredients for the meal. They also pooled money to have a meat sample tested. A day later, they received results confirming the sample was positive for E. coli bacteria and African swine fever virus.

Over 100 parents subsequently withdrew their children from school. Daily attendance dropped to about 20-30 students out of 150.

According to Trong, the health of students and teachers at Hoa Binh Kindergarten is currently normal. Approximately 60-70 children have returned to school, representing 50% of the total student body.

During a meeting with the commune this morning, Duong Van Luong, Vice Chairman of Thai Nguyen Province, urged police to promptly investigate the cause and origin of the contaminated food and determine responsibility. Additionally, local authorities are examining potential violations by the Hoa Binh school board.

Luong emphasized that food safety is directly linked to public health, especially for children, and therefore requires strict safety measures, tight control over supply sources, and contractor selection processes.

Hoa Binh Kindergarten. Photo: School website

According to information on its website, Hoa Binh Kindergarten was established in 2002 as a semi-public school, transitioning to a public school in 2010. Parents report that daily meal costs for children are approximately 20,000 VND.

Thanh Hang