In recent days, social networks have been abuzz with information related to the situation of unsecured boarding meals for 174 ethnic minority students at Hoang Thu Pho Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities No. 1.
Thanh Nien newspaper reported on December 17: “Lao Cai verified the case of boarding students lacking food and using leaves instead of toilet paper.” The news said that leaders of the Department of Education and Training of Lao Cai province are coordinating with leaders of Bac Ha district authorities to check and clarify the status of students at Hoang Thu Pho Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities No. 1. Accordingly, boarding students’ meals here are not guaranteed in both quantity and quality, and there are signs of reducing food rations. Especially when students have to use leaves instead of toilet paper.
Specifically, during breakfast at the boarding kitchen, according to the reporter’s observations, “each tray had 11 children competing for 2 packets of thinly cooked instant noodles mixed with rice.” Although the menu board and financial disclosure clearly state, “174 day-boarding students are entitled to a breakfast of 1 package of instant noodles and 1 egg each.”
The person in charge of the school’s kitchen said that shortages of food for students often occur. Not only breakfast, but also lunch and dinner, the food for students is very meager, only a few chopped sausages, and a pot of watery soup. But the school principal still believes that this is enough rations and meets the standards.
Previously, on December 16, Vietnam Television’s 24-hour Motion program had a report, reflecting the meal situation and quality of life of students at the Hoang Thu Pho Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities No. 1.
According to teachers at the school, there is not enough meat and fish for meals, and even cheap foods like vegetables for children’s meals are in a rotten state.
According to Thanh Nien newspaper, this situation happens not just every few days or weeks, but is a regular situation here. Meanwhile, on the public ration board hanging in the kitchen on November 14, approved by the school Principal, clearly stated, “the amount of 14kg of pork, 11kg of bones,” in the day’s ration on November 14. It is unclear what was the amount of food listed used for, or is it just a number on paper?
Still according to Thanh Nien newspaper, based on Decree No. 81 of the Government, clearly stipulates, “each month, 1 boarding student will receive a meal allowance of VND720,000, along with 15kg of rice.” Thus, on average per month, Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary Ethnic Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities receives more than VND125 million to organize boarding meals for 174 students.
Through the research of reporter Thoibao.de, it is known that education in the highlands today still has many difficulties. The Vietnamese government’s policy is said to have tried to focus on education in remote, isolated and highland areas to help ethnic minorities have the opportunity to study, in difficult conditions.
A social activist in Hanoi, who has repeatedly participated in charity work for schools in the Northwest highlands, told Thoibao.de his comments on the learning and life of highland student on condition of anonymity.
He said: “The lives of the children up there are extremely difficult. Even though the government has given them much more favor than in the lowland areas, the children are raised by the state, but only at the level of food to prevent hunger, not at adequate level.”
He also added, “branch schools in remote villages are extremely difficult. In the school divisions, the physical conditions are very temporary and sketchy, the classrooms are leaky in the rainy season and cold in the winter. Teachers are living without electricity and lack of running water.”
Public opinion sees that education is considered the key to bringing the mountainous areas to catch up with the lowlands. However, bringing knowledge to the highlands still requires greater efforts from the state, as well as the contribution of the entire society. But it is common for many boarding educational establishments in highland areas to reduce student food rations. This needs to be stopped immediately.
More importantly, there needs to be more support from the Government, not to let a situation happen, as Professor Ngo Bao Chau once said after a charity trip to the highlands years ago, saying: “Children don’t have enough to eat, don’t have enough warm clothes, and live like wild animals. If you spend VND1.4 trillion to build a monument, you’re either miserable or crazy.”
Thoibao.de (Translated)
