SINGAPORE, Nov 12 – Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) is reportedly exploring a new canteen model for schools struggling to find vendors to fill vacant spaces.
CNA cited Education Minister Chan Chun Sing telling Singapore Parliament that the ministry is considering a model that involves pre-ordering meals, which are prepared in a central kitchen and then delivered to schools.
Chan said this system has been tested at Yusof Ishak Secondary School with positive results.
He said under this central kitchen model, vendors impacted by the change would receive support from schools, including potential placements at nearby schools or recommendations for employment with the central kitchen provider.
According to the ministry, central kitchens serving school canteens currently include operators like SATS and Select Group.
Chan was responding to parliamentary questions from MPs Louis Chua, He Ting Ru, and Yip Hon Weng, who raised concerns about rising costs for canteen vendors and the nutritional quality of school meals.
Vendors are charged rental fees of between SG$5 (RM17) and SG$15 (RM50) a month, waived during school holidays, though some vendors have reported difficulties maintaining income due to inflation, limited hours, and disruptions like home-based learning.
Chua had also asked whether MOE might expand the central kitchen model in response to financial challenges faced by decentralised canteens, but Chan said scaling up would depend on each school’s needs and circumstances.
