The Prime Minister's request on reviewing the organization of meals for students in mountainous areas in Vietnam - To Strictly handle violations

Hello, Lawnet would like to answer as follows:

1. The Prime Minister's request on reviewing the organization of meals for students in mountainous areas in Vietnam

Recently, regarding the boarding meals of students at Hoang Thu Primary School for Ethnic Minorities, Pho 1, Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province, only instant noodles served with rice for breakfast caused a stir in public opinion.

Specifically, breakfast at the boarding kitchen. Each tray has 11 children "competing" for 2 packages of thinly cooked instant noodles mixed with rice. Although the menu board and financial disclosure clearly state that boarding students are entitled to a breakfast of 1 packet of instant noodles and 1 egg. However, according to the person in charge of cooking, a shortage of food for students often occurs.

From the above incident, on December 20, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Official Telegram 1385/CD-TTg on strengthening and ensuring food, accommodation, living, and learning conditions for preschool children, boarding and semi-boarding students, and students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

In recent times, the Government and the Prime Minister have regularly paid attention to directing and promulgating mechanisms, policies, programs, and projects to strengthen and ensure food, accommodation, living, and learning conditions for preschool children and boarding and semi-boarding students, especially for children and students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas and areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions.

However, implementation in some places is not good, affecting the living and learning conditions of preschool children and students. To continue improving the quality of education, care, and nurturing of preschool children, boarding and semi-boarding students, and students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the Prime Minister requests:

- Ministries, branches, and localities, according to their assigned functions and tasks, strictly implement the regulations in Decree 116/2016/NĐ-CP, Decree 105/2020/NĐ-CP, Decision No. 1660/QĐ-TTg, Decision No. 1609/QĐ-TTg.

- Ministry of Education and Training:

+ Chair and coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies, and People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to direct and review the organization and implementation of meals for preschool children, day and boarding students, students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, and the implementation of other policies for preschool children and students at educational establishments under its management; strictly handle groups and individuals if there are violations.

+ Strengthen direction, management, and inspection of the implementation of policies on ethnic education, ensuring hygiene, food safety, school safety, accident and injury prevention, and fire and explosion prevention in educational institutions.

+ Direct the strict implementation of regulations on financial and property management, procurement of educational equipment, and regulations on teacher ethics; strengthen state management of education; Actively build a safe, healthy, and friendly educational environment.

- The Committee for Ethnic Minorities effectively uses resources under the National Target Program for socio-economic development of mountainous ethnic minority areas in the period 2021–2030 for education, ensuring the achievement of the goal that "100% of schools and classrooms in extremely difficult communes and villages are solidly built".

- People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities review, evaluate, and mobilize resources to ensure food, accommodation, living, environmental sanitation, and learning conditions for preschool children and students at school; strengthen inspection, examination, and strict supervision of the implementation of regimes and policies at all levels of management.

Thus, the Prime Minister requests relevant ministries, branches, and localities to review meal organization and other regimes and policies for boarding and semi-boarding students, as well as students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

At the same time, strictly handle violating groups and individuals to ensure the best conditions for children's learning and living.

2. Support for housing, meals, and rice for students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Vietnam (Draft)

The Ministry of Education and Training has issued the second draft of the Decree stipulating policies for children in kindergartens, students, and students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, coastal areas, coastal areas, islands, and educational establishments, with children in kindergartens and students enjoying the policy.

(1) Children, students, and trainees to whom the policy applies include:

+ Children from semi-boarding kindergartens study at preschool educational establishments;

+ Part-boarding students studying at general education establishments;

+ Part-boarding students studying continuing education programs at the middle and high school levels;

+ Ethnic boarding students study at ethnic boarding high schools;

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(2) Policy benefits for children in kindergartens, students, and trainees

- Policies for children in boarding kindergartens

Support for meals and snacks: Each child in kindergarten is supported by 360,000 VND per month and is entitled to no more than 9 months/school year.

- Policies for day students and semi-boarding students

+ Meal support: Each student will receive a monthly support of 900,000 VND and no more than 9 months/school year;

+ Housing support: Each student must provide their own accommodation because the school cannot arrange accommodation on campus or because they need special support and care from relatives (poor health, disability, young age). Each month, the support is 360,000 VND and not more than 9 months/school year;

+ Rice support: Each student is supported with 15 kg of rice per month and is entitled to no more than 9 months/school year;

+ Students and students in the final year of high school are entitled to the policies specified in Points a, b, and c of Clause 1 of this Article until the month of the graduation exam, but not more than 10 months/school year; Boarding students who take intensive Vietnamese language courses before entering grade 1 are entitled to an additional month.

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More details can be found in 2nd Draft Decree: Download 

Best regards!

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