The case of the cut-off meals in Lao Cai: The former principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary School was temporarily detained.

At the end of 2023, in the program Chuyen Dong 24h broadcast on National Television, VTV1 reported that the meals for students at Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities did not meet the prescribed quota, the food was of poor quality...

The inspection results of the authorities of Bac Ha district show that the information that the meals of boarding students have signs of being cut is well-founded.

Specifically, the school does not have a list of payments for leftover meals for students. Many import, export, and public records have not been signed by the school principal. Many lists of delivery and receipt of goods on the day the person receiving the food has not been signed by the principal.

Cash payment vouchers do not have numbers or signatures of the unit head or the person receiving the money. The daily food purchase table does not match the monthly food purchase summary table...

Every day, teachers transport food from the supplier to the warehouse, the recipient does not check the quantity and quality of the goods, does not sign any books. The actual quantity of food delivered and the actual payment amount have a difference.

The information that people did not receive leftover boarding food money was also confirmed by the inspection team to have a basis.

Regarding the study support money, the school has only bought new textbooks for grade 4 students, grades 1, 2, 3, 5 use old books and buy some additional missing books. So the information that parents do not receive the study support money of 150,000 VND/month is well-founded.

After the above reflection, Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha - principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities - submitted a resignation letter.

The People's Committee of Bac Ha district also decided to temporarily suspend Mr. Ha from work to clarify the contents related to the reflection.

In May 2024, the Bac Ha District Party Committee (Lao Cai) issued and announced a decision to "expel" Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha - Party cell secretary and principal of Hoang Thu Pho 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities - from the Party.