From the case of 11 students eating 2 packs of noodles, can installing cameras monitor the teacher's conscience?

After the incident of “11 students eating 2 packs of instant noodles” at Hoang Thu Pho 1 School (Bac Ha district) was exposed, the Lao Cai Department of Education and Training requested that high schools install surveillance cameras in the entire food processing area, food distribution area, and dining area.

The department also requires schools to create accounts and publicize camera access accounts for parents, organizations, and agencies to access and monitor. The department requires the installation to be completed before January 10, 2024, using the school's own funding.

Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (Hoang Thu Pho Commune, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province). (Photo: Duc Phong)

Installing cameras or sending images of students’ meals is not new. In Ho Chi Minh City, at the beginning of the school year, some schools in Thu Duc City had problems with their meals.

At this time, clips filmed at a facility providing meals for an elementary school in this city appeared on social media. In the clip, parents discovered food that smelled and was not safe. The incident was later verified to have occurred at a facility providing meals for students at Phu Huu Elementary School.

In response to parents’ reactions, the school decided to stop boarding and also terminate the meal supply contract with the partner. In addition, 4 other schools that cooperated with the meal supply unit had to change to a new meal supply unit.

To strengthen the supervision of the school meals for students, the Department of Education and Training of this city continues to require that every day, the principals of schools in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City will take pictures of the students' meals and send them to the Department of Education and Training. The Department of Education and Training will apply information technology, creating a link for the principals of the schools to send pictures of the meals to the parents' association, and at the same time send them to the Department of Education and Training.

The Department of Education and Training assigns a specialist to be in charge, if there is any problem, there will be evidence to compare. This is a coordination between parents and professional agencies to ensure the safety of students.

The principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities explained to the inspection team after it was revealed that "11 students ate 2 packs of instant noodles". (Photo: TL)

Can installing cameras or meal images monitor boarding meals? A high school principal in Ho Chi Minh City said that we humans often use other tools to justify our wrongdoings. For example, in exams, we are required to install surveillance cameras in the exam room, forcing students to leave their school bags 50 meters away from the exam room... but there are still cases of cheating or negativity.

Installing cameras to monitor meals at boarding schools can only monitor the image of the meal, not the nutrition or spoiled food. The camera is only an external image, it cannot replace humans in the process of checking, quantifying, and qualifying food, and food hygiene and safety.

“On the other hand, installing cameras is just a temporary solution. In fact, whether the food is good or bad depends on the ethics of the leader. If the teacher has any calculations, the colorful and beautiful images from the camera will not reflect the quality of the food.

The quality of the meal depends on whether the meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, and fruits are fresh and clean or not? It depends on whether the processing is clean or not. If the teacher buys grade 3 quality ingredients instead of grade 1, the camera image cannot monitor it. So the quality of the lunch meal depends on the teacher's heart, not on the camera image," he said.

Another principal in Ho Chi Minh City also said that installing cameras is expensive but does not bring real value in terms of caring for students' meals. Installing cameras is just a sentimental thing to do so that people can see that when there is feedback, the school and the agencies are receptive.

"If the leader is not ethical and responsible, the food for students will not be nutritious, delicious, or of good quality," she said. According to her, not only the school lunch, many negative incidents related to uniforms, student milk, food, etc. have occurred in the past. These are issues and phenomena that require ethics from the leader.

"What if the camera is faulty?" , a teacher in Ho Chi Minh City asked. According to this teacher, installing cameras is only a temporary solution. The long-term solution is to create a meal menu and post it for everyone to see. When the school makes it public and posts it on the bulletin board, parents will know how their children eat.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (HCMC) informed that in order to control the students' meals, he requires daily food samples to be kept. On the other hand, school leaders and student management departments also eat lunch and breakfast with the students' meals. Thus, if there is anything unsatisfactory, the school will handle it on the spot, even cancel the contract with the on-site meal provider.

“If we adults find the meal delicious, our students will surely enjoy it too. If we find it bad, the students will find it bad too. We eat to check, evaluate, and verify it every day,” said Mr. Phu.

The principal said that this would make the catering unit wary if there were any negative signs. Regarding students eating out, Mr. Phu said that the school respected the decisions of the students and their families, but he had gone to all the restaurants around the school, then shared with the students whether the restaurants were good or bad, and at the same time advised the parents to let the students eat in safe places.

(Source: Vietnamnet)

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