SINGAPORE: A new central kitchen model at some schools has encountered teething problems, with parents reporting technical glitches that left some children without meals and expressing concerns about the system’s trade-offs.
The initiative, being rolled out from this month at 13 schools across Singapore, is an expansion of a 2022 pilot programme to address a growing shortage of canteen operators while keeping school meals affordable.
Three operators – Gourmetz, Chang Cheng Mee Wah and Wilmar Distribution – were selected by the Ministry of Education (MOE) based on factors including meal price competitiveness, menu variety and track record.
Gourmetz operates five of the 13 school canteens – Blangah Rise Primary, CHIJ Kellock, Radin Mas Primary, River Valley Primary and Outram Secondary at its York Hill campus. Chang Cheng Mee Wah runs canteens at Dazhong Primary, Kranji Primary, Pioneer Primary, Qifa Primary and West View Primary, while Wilmar Distribution manages four at Casuarina Primary, Chongzheng Primary, Northoaks Primary and Outram Secondary’s new Anchorvale Crescent campus.
ORDERING HICCUPS
CNA spoke to students and parents from five schools and found that the most serious complaints centred on pre-ordering systems that malfunctioned.
Mr Ken Chan, whose Primary 1 son attends Radin Mas Primary, was unable to set up an account despite registering before the deadline. As a result, his son did not get a meal on the first day of school but paid cash to redeem meals on subsequent days.
