Proposal for a School Nutrition Law to Safeguard the Future Generation
The seminar on school health for 2026-2035 emphasizes the importance of enacting a School Nutrition Law to improve the physical and intellectual development of Vietnamese children.
On August 11, 2026, the Ministry of Education and Training hosted the seminar 'Accompanying – Creating the Future – For a Healthy Vietnam'. The event aimed to promote school health communications and connect resources for the 2026–2035 School Health Program, organized by the Department of Student Affairs, Education and Times Newspaper, and TH Group.
Mr. Pham The Quyen, Director of R&D at TH Group, stated that school nutrition serves as a 'soft infrastructure' for the nation. Scientific research indicates that 86% of height and 80% of brain development are completed between the ages of 2 and 12, the golden window for the physical and intellectual growth of a nation.
Labor Hero Thai Huong, Founder of TH Group, issued an earnest call for an official legislative act: the School Nutrition Law. She emphasized that enacting this law would create a robust shield, ensuring every student has access to standard meals and fresh milk, contributing to the goal of improving the stature of the Vietnamese people.
Since 2013, TH Group has pioneered the School Milk program, followed by the School Meal pilot model in 2020. Results from 10 provinces demonstrated significant effectiveness in improving physical health, reducing malnutrition and obesity, and increasing student concentration.
Based on successful research, TH Group proposed six key solutions: Establishing specialized nutrition positions in schools; Ensuring transparent financial resources via state and socialized mechanisms; Applying public bidding for school milk; Optimizing meals based on local agricultural advantages; Enhancing public communication; and crucially, enacting a School Nutrition Law.
TH Group representatives stated that the School Nutrition Law is not merely a health or education matter, but a strategic investment for the future. Vietnam could learn from Japan, which enacted the School Lunch Law in 1954 to improve its citizens' stature.
Beyond nutrition, TH is expanding its health ecosystem through the S-Race program, the TH School system, and the construction of 1,000 school toilets, creating a safe and comprehensive educational environment for the youth.