Hanoi primary schools report issues with school meal providers

Multiple primary schools in Hanoi have reported significant issues regarding outsourced school meal services at the start of the school year. Incidents include late deliveries, improper transportation methods, and the delivery of spoiled food.

At Kim Bai Primary School, students had to wait until nearly 1:00 PM to eat due to late deliveries, forcing the school to provide temporary snacks like milk and bread. At Le Trong Tan Primary School, staff and parents discovered shrimp and meat with unpleasant odors being delivered to the kitchen, leading the school to reject the shipment. Other schools reported incomplete meals, such as missing rice, soup, or main dishes.

These recurring problems have led several schools to change providers shortly after operations began. In one instance, a supplier requested to terminate their contract immediately following an incident. The situation has raised concerns regarding whether the actual capacity of these catering companies matches their documented credentials and whether oversight is sufficient to manage the large scale of food service required for thousands of students.