Delegate Chau Quynh Dao calls for reform of school canteen auction mechanisms

During a plenary session on October 31, Delegate Chau Quynh Dao from An Giang raised concerns regarding the high cost of food and beverages within school premises. She noted that while closed school gates are intended for safety, they inadvertently create monopolies in school canteens, leaving students with no alternative choices.

Ms. Dao argued that current tax reduction policies only address the symptoms rather than the root cause. She pointed out that for a 35,000 VND meal, tax represents only about 2,000 VND, whereas premises costs can account for 30% to 40% of the price, or 10,000 to 14,000 VND. She suggested that without addressing the public asset auction mechanism, low-income students will continue to struggle with food costs.

The delegate identified two primary bottlenecks: the uniform application of commercial auction rules to public service environments like schools and hospitals, and the legal inconsistency between the Law on Bidding and the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets. She recommended that the Government amend regulations to allow for specialized mechanisms for assets serving social welfare.