Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis, Sengkang GRC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has conducted any feasibility studies on providing direct subsidies to school canteen vendors to offset rising costs of procuring healthier ingredients and compliance with nutritional guidelines; (b) if not, what are the reasons for not considering direct financial support to these vendors; and (c) what specific measures are currently in place to ensure that price controls do not compromise the quality and nutritional value of meals provided to students.
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms He Ting Ru, Sengkang GRC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education amid the closure of some food stalls in school canteens (a) whether the Ministry is studying the impact of a lack of access to quality, affordable food in school canteens on children across socio-economic backgrounds; (b) how does the Ministry intend to address the nutritional needs of children from lower socio-economic backgrounds during school hours; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider (i) Government-funded freshly packed meals through central kitchen catering or (ii) mandating on-site kitchens in schools staffed by hired workers.
Response
1. The Ministry of Education (MOE) works with schools to monitor canteen food quality, quantity and prices. Canteen stall holders are required to serve meals that adhere to the Health Promotion Board's guidelines, which require a balanced diet covering the four main food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables and fruits. This approach is designed to meet the nutritional needs of children and support their growth and development. Individual stall holders are charged rentals between $5 to $15 per month. Rentals are waived during the school holiday period. To help stallholders keep their business costs sustainable, MOE also regularly reviews the food pricing guidelines for schools, so that stallholders can continue to provide healthy and affordable meals for students.
2. Students from lower-income families on MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) receive school meal subsidies. Schools are also given additional funds to provide further assistance to students who need more help, and they have been doing so.
3. From time to time, some schools have difficulty finding stallholders to fill vacant stalls, and this may become more challenging in the future as more of the incumbent stall holders retire. In anticipation of such challenges, MOE is discussing with schools which are keen, and ready, to adopt a different canteen operating model. For example, meals can be pre-ordered and prepared at a central kitchen before they are delivered to schools. This model has been piloted at Yusof Ishak Secondary School and shown to be effective. Where there are existing stallholders impacted by such a transition, schools will help by referring them to nearby schools or recommending them for employment by the central kitchen operator.
4. MOE and schools would also like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the dedicated service of all our stallholders who have served and are still serving our students and staff today.