Implementing Directive No. 33/CT-TTg dated August 14, 2026 of the Prime Minister on strengthening food safety assurance in educational institutions, the Provincial People's Committee requests departments, branches, central agencies in the area and People's Committees of communes and wards to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the regulations of the Central Government and the province on food safety.
The Department of Health is assigned to be the focal point for advising, guiding, coordinating, inspecting, supervising and summarizing state management of food safety in educational institutions. The Department of Health presides over and coordinates with the Department of Education and Training, People's Committees of communes and wards to review all collective kitchens, semi-boarding kitchens, school canteens and food and meal suppliers for educational institutions; assess food safety conditions, human resources, facilities, equipment and food safety risks, to be completed in September 2026.
Along with that, strengthen periodic and unscheduled inspections of kitchens, school canteens and food and meal suppliers; focus on post-inspection, sampling, traceability and handling of violations. Facilities that do not ensure food safety conditions will not be allowed to continue to supply food and meals to schools.
The Department of Education and Training is required to direct educational institutions to strictly implement food safety regulations; assign people to be in charge and supervise this work, in which the head of the educational institution is responsible for food safety and quality of school meals.
Schools must control the selection and signing of contracts with food suppliers, not use food of unknown origin; implement three-step inspection, store food samples and publicly disclose information about the supplier, ingredients, import invoices, menus and actual tray images daily for parents to monitor and supervise.
Educational institutions must also receive and handle parents' feedback on food safety within 24 hours; in cases beyond their authority, promptly report to competent authorities.
People's Committees of communes and wards are responsible for ensuring food safety in educational institutions in the area; coordinate to review and update the list of schools with kitchens, canteens and food and meal suppliers, to be completed in September 2026.
At the same time, localities strengthen inspection of food production and business establishments, especially units supplying to schools; control food service business establishments, street food, street vendors in the area around schools, promptly detect and prevent food of unknown origin, not ensuring food safety.
