On September 23, parents at Quang Bi Primary School in Hanoi voiced their concerns regarding the quality of the school lunch, claiming that one of the main dishes resembled fatty pork. During an unannounced inspection of the school’s kitchen, several parents recorded videos and took photos of the meal, which they believed contained excessive amounts of fat.

Despite the kitchen staff's explanation that the dish was made of lean pork and pork belly, parents remained skeptical, pointing out that many pieces were predominantly fat. The meal also included stir-fried minced meat with vegetables, bean sprouts, dragon fruit, and soup. One parent expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the food provided to their children was not nutritious or of good quality.

Previously, there had been an agreement that the weekly menu would only include one meal with fried items and minced meat, yet on this occasion, there were three such dishes. The incident quickly gained attention on parent forums, with many expressing their outrage.

In response to the complaints, Le Thi Tuyet, the principal of Quang Bi Primary School, asserted that the main dish was not fatty pork but rather overcooked sesame-fried lean meat. She mentioned that she would meet with parents, local authorities, and the food supplier later that day to clarify the situation.

One parent present at the meeting suggested that the local government change the food supplier. According to Trinh Van Cuong, the head of the Culture and Society Department of Quang Bi, the meat used was pork belly and hocks, but the chef had cut it too thinly, resulting in an unappetizing appearance.

By 9 PM, the local government stated that the claim about spoiled pork being served to students was inaccurate. The meat had been inspected by both the school and parents earlier that morning without any abnormalities detected. However, authorities acknowledged that the complaints regarding the portion sizes relative to the 40,000 VND price were valid.

The food supplier has been instructed to improve portion sizes and adjust the menu, and a new chef will be appointed starting September 24. Quang Bi Primary School currently serves over 2,600 students, with the lunch price set at 40,000 VND. This incident is part of a series of complaints regarding school lunches in Hanoi since the beginning of the school year. Previously, parents at Trung Gia Primary School expressed frustration over inadequate meals for the same price, while other schools like Kim Bai, Nguyen Quy Duc, and Duc Giang reported delays in meal deliveries of two to three hours.

In total, over 633,000 primary school students in Hanoi, both public and private, receive daily meal support ranging from 28,000 to 40,000 VND, an increase of 8,000 VND compared to the previous school year. The common charge at schools is between 35,000 and 40,000 VND, with any discrepancies covered by parents.