'Sniff out rot in school-meal provision: education chief'

By The Nation

 

 

File photo

 

The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) has demanded action against corruption in school-lunch projects by July 22.

 

Obec secretary general Suthep Chittayawong has ordered directors of primary education service areas nationwide to check school lunches and take action against any foul play.

 

The order was in response to the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) findings that some schools in Nakhon Ratchasima province had spent just half of the budget received for school lunches and served meals lacking in nutritional value.

 

The government launched its free-school-lunch policy in 1999 to curb malnutrition and support child development. Since 2001, the school-lunch budget has been allocated via local administrative bodies in response to decentralisation laws.

 

The government currently budgets more than Bt10 billion annually to provide school lunches for kindergarten and primary students at a cost of Bt20 per child. About Bt15 of that amount is reserved for ingredients while the rest pays for cooks and preparation.

 

However, a recent NACC inspection found four schools in Nakhon Ratchasima where the lunch budget was not being spent on students.

 

In response, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the Interior Ministry, which oversees local administrative organisations, to work with the Education Ministry in monitoring free-lunch provision at some 30,000 schools under the Education Ministry and more than 10,000 under local administrations.

 

Children at the four Nakhon Ratchasima schools were reduced to eating rice and gourd soup or noodles with fish sauce – minus the protein-rich meat that the budget covered.

 

“I have told all schools to consult the School Lunch programme in planning menus for their students so as to ensure that children are fed all five food groups [protein, dairy, grains, fruit and vegetables],” he said.

 

He added that 20 panels had been established to monitor schools, along with free-lunch committees for every school.

 

“Each committee includes representatives of parents as well as students,” Suthep said.

 

School-Lunch Budget

 

2015: Bt16.46 billion (200 school days per year)

For 4.11 million students

 

2016: Bt16.33 billion (200 school days per year)

For 1.08 million students

 

2017: Bt16.50 billion (200 school days per year)

For 4.12 million students

 

2018: Bt16.32 billion (200 school days per year)

For 4.08 million students

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30372833

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-07-12

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"The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) has demanded action against corruption in school-lunch projects by July 22."

 

Great Idea! No, what do botulism, salmonella and e.coli and corruption smell like, exactly (referring to the "rot" Title, not the article)? I know, I know corruption smells like money!

I read the same a few years ago, so nothing has changed.

 

It is everywhere. Like a virus. Like rice; it is plentiful!

The education stench will take you straight to the corrupt cival servants....

3 hours ago, webfact said:

'Sniff out rot in school-meal provision: education chief'

Here's a tip, look for people who wear uniforms!

What a great advert for Thai society, stealing the food from the mouths of the poorest most vulnerable members. Just like the scandal of the welfare money exposed last year by the university student/intern who was told to forge claim forms.

You know you have a serious societal problem when you even screw over your school children. Alas, it's not like the culprits are shaking in their boots. They'll never be caught, or if they are, they'll get away with a slap on the wrist.

buddist country, ONLY ON PAPER

 

stealing from kids ... but I got a better one, my ex-wife stole money from HER OWN KIDS

 

if you can steal from kids, you can steal from everybody

Please lord Buddha give us our daily protein !!

When it comes to money , stealing and selfishness, the corruption at Gov level in Thailand doesnt give a damn that it’s taking food from children! Money Money Money no matter how to get it !


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5 hours ago, justin case said:

buddist country, ONLY ON PAPER

 

stealing from kids ... but I got a better one, my ex-wife stole money from HER OWN KIDS

 

if you can steal from kids, you can steal from everybody

For more relevant analogy for stealing from children try ..... Roman Catholic priests.  Buddhists have nothing on those scum bags. 

 

"Ooh, that smell

Can't you smell that smell?

Ooh, that smell

The smell of death surrounds you, yeah"

- lyrics by Lynrd Skynyrd

10 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

"The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) has demanded action against corruption in school-lunch projects by July 22."

 

Great Idea! No, what do botulism, salmonella and e.coli and corruption smell like, exactly (referring to the "rot" Title, not the article)? I know, I know corruption smells like money!

Funniest ironic point is that Obec told school directors  to investigate, it's well established this group are a major factor in education budget corruption in many education budgets. 

So they've ordered the directors to investigate themselves. This will be as effective as Anti-Corruption investigating Prawit, or any number of internal police investigations into corruption. ????

 

I love how some bigwig in Bangkok always "orders' something to be done, but never seems to actually seems to directly get involved ensure that it is done.