Prime Minister demands urgent regulations for boarding meals and strengthened school food safety oversight
The government issued an Official Dispatch to strengthen food safety and nutrition standards for boarding and day-school meals in educational institutions nationwide.
On September 13, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau signed an Official Dispatch from the Prime Minister regarding the strengthening of safety and quality standards for boarding and day-school meals in educational institutions. The dispatch was issued to the Minister of Education and Training, the Minister of Health, and the Chairpersons of provincial and municipal People's Committees to address current shortcomings in school nutrition management.
Despite local efforts, risks remain in selecting meal suppliers, controlling raw material origins, and maintaining food processing standards. The Prime Minister has mandated that ministries, sectors, and local authorities strictly implement tasks outlined in Directive No. 33/CT-TTg dated August 14, 2026, concerning the enhancement of food safety in educational institutions.
Chairpersons of provincial and municipal People's Committees hold comprehensive responsibility for meals at schools within their jurisdictions. A key directive assigns commune-level People's Committees to select and contract meal providers for public schools. Selection criteria must prioritize food safety, nutritional value, and traceability, rather than solely focusing on low pricing.
The Ministry of Education and Training is tasked with urgently finalizing and issuing regulations for school meal organization, clearly defining the responsibilities of all stakeholders. Concurrently, the Ministry of Health must update specific food safety and nutrition requirements tailored to different school levels to ensure meals are energy-sufficient, nutritionally balanced, and help prevent school-age health issues such as obesity, overweight, or malnutrition.