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SINGAPORE: Hwa Chong Institution has defended its new canteen programme after photos of student meals sparked an online backlash, saying the images do not accurately reflect the food standards.
However, students interviewed by CNA on Wednesday (Jan 7) confirmed the images showed what was being served.
The controversy erupted when photos posted on social media platform Reddit on Jan 3 showed meals in turquoise trays containing rice, vegetables and protein. They drew sharp criticism from netizens who questioned whether the food met adequate nutritional and quality standards.
The nine Hwa Chong students who spoke to CNA had divided opinions about the bento meals.
"The chicken was watered down and the pasta tasted like grass," said a Secondary 1 student who had selected a black pepper pasta dish. About half his class had tried the bento meals, he said, and most did not enjoy the food.
A Secondary 4 student who tried two dishes – macaroni with tomato sauce and chicken rice – complained about portion imbalance. "I don't think it provides a lot of nutrition," he said, noting there was too much pasta and rice compared to side dishes.
The pasta was also "a bit too salty", he added.
However, not all feedback was negative. A Secondary 3 student who had an oriental chicken meal said the criticism had been exaggerated.
"The taste wasn't like, obviously, as good as the canteen food, but it was still pretty okay," the student said, adding that he plans to order the pre-made meals once or twice a week. "It's over-hated."
One student said that many peers who chose bento meals on the first day of school switched to freshly cooked canteen food the following day, creating longer queues at the food stalls.
HYBRID CANTEEN MODEL
In response to CNA's queries, Hwa Chong said on Tuesday night: "The school notes that a photograph circulating online does not accurately reflect the typical food offerings or portion standards under this arrangement."
The school said it has been closely monitoring canteen operations, including food quality and portion sizes. It added that the bento meals are provided by SATS and designed by certified nutritionists.
A SATS spokesperson said the meal programmes comply with guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Health Promotion Board, taking into account students' nutritional needs alongside food safety and quality standards.
The meals are part of a hybrid canteen model launched on Jan 2 in partnership with SATS, designed to tackle the problem of long queue times during meal breaks.
The move follows the Ministry of Education's new central kitchen model, which was introduced at 13 other schools this month. Hwa Chong's hybrid canteen model is not a part of this scheme.
Under the model, SATS offers students both pre-prepared bento sets and live food stalls serving Indian fusion, Chinese, Western and local cuisine. Bento options include at least three regular meals priced at S$3.60 (US$2.80) each and premium selections priced at S$4.80, with menus rotated regularly.
The school said the initiative addresses sector-wide manpower shortages affecting school canteen operations, ensuring that students continue receiving "balanced, reasonably priced meals" that meet their nutritional needs and dietary preferences.
Hwa Chong said as part of its ongoing review, it invited student representatives and parents to sample the food and review bento menus on Monday.
“Feedback indicated that portions were sufficient, food was served warm, and prices were reasonable,” said the school’s spokesperson.
“Participants also welcomed the lighter seasoning in the meals, as well as the regular menu rotation and availability of live food stalls.”
The school added that it is establishing a canteen review committee comprising staff, student and parent representatives to evaluate food quality, pricing, menu variety and overall student experience, and to provide feedback for improvements.
A parent who wanted to be known as Ms Phua said she does not expect the school to revert to the traditional canteen model. However, she hopes the meal choices can be improved or more varied.
While her Secondary 1 son finished his bento meal, he told her some students threw their sets away after a few bites.
Ms Phua, who is in her 40s, said the pre-ordering process removes the spotaneity and human interaction of choosing food at canteen stalls.
“So even though this system will be faster … you should not just prioritise efficiency. Cost-wise, it’s also not very cheap,” she said, noting that her other son at a different secondary school can get a fresh Japanese beef bowl at the same price.
Her son in Hwa Chong Institution will likely opt for live stall meals instead in future.
“Until they really revise the menu options, I think most of them still prefer to queue.”
