On December 2, poor quality meals at Nam Ty Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, Song Ma District, Son La Province were exposed in the media.
Images and information about the menu "only having rice soup, boiled duck eggs and fried sausages" or "meat with more fat than lean meat" have sparked public outrage.
Just one day later, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha - the school's principal, resigned and was transferred to the position of culture teacher at a local elementary school.
This is not the first time a principal has chosen to face responsibility by resigning due to involvement in shady matters regarding meals for students and teachers.
Previously, Ms. Phan Thi Han Hue - Principal of Anh Duong Kindergarten (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) - also voluntarily resigned after being reported for cutting teachers' food rations.
The fact that the Principal of Nam Ty Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, as well as many other schools across the country, allowed the poor quality of boarding meals to occur as reported by the press in the past is a terrible and unacceptable behavior that deserves condemnation and must be severely punished to set an example.
However, the fact that Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha and Ms. Phan Thi Han Hue previously accepted responsibility as leaders by resigning, whether under pressure or proactively out of self-respect, is an act that shows courage and positive change in public service culture.
For a very long time in Vietnam, the concept of resignation was still very strange, even a "luxury" for many reasons. This led to many individuals trying to cling to their positions even though their abilities did not meet the requirements, leading to unfortunate consequences for the collective and society.
However, recent resignations from many levels and fields from local to central levels have shown a significant change.
Resignation is increasingly seen as a courageous and responsible act. It goes beyond admitting mistakes and demonstrates a willingness to make way for more capable people.
From a social perspective, the perception of people and civil servants about resignation has also changed. Resignation is no longer a sign of failure, but sometimes a manifestation of self-respect and determination.
Ultimately, someone resigning is not the goal and is ultimately just a “cutting the ice” for cases that are both illegal and unethical, like poor quality meals.
The root of the problem is still that the authorities need to have effective solutions to plug the big loopholes in the monitoring system and professional ethics of those involved!
