Hwa Chong says it did not reprimand or penalise students who spoke about controversial canteen meals
A teacher's message warning students not to participate in the controversy was sent "out of concern" for their well-being, the school says.
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SINGAPORE: Hwa Chong Institution has said it did not reprimand or penalise students who spoke to the media about the school's new canteen programme, and that a teacher's message warning students not to participate in the controversy was sent "out of concern" for their well-being.
The school issued a statement on Thursday (Jan 8) night after rumours spread on social media and parents' WhatsApp groups that nine students were issued demerit points for speaking out about meal quality concerns.
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.
When CNA interviewed nine students outside the school on Wednesday morning, they confirmed the photos accurately depicted what was being served, contradicting the school's initial defence that the images did not reflect actual food standards.
WARNING MESSAGE SURFACES
After the CNA article and other media reports were published, a screenshot purportedly from a teacher's message began circulating on social media. The message warned students “not to participate in the canteen food controversy”.
“Please do not circulate photos, messages and social media posts - we know what the consequences are. Keep your opinion to yourself,” the message read, adding that students need both parental and school consent for media interviews.
The message raised concerns among parents and online commenters about whether students were being discouraged from raising legitimate concerns.
In response to CNA's queries, a school spokesperson acknowledged that the message was sent by a teacher in a class chat but said it was issued “out of concern for our students’ well-being while reminding students to be responsible in their online activities".
“The reminder was not meant to discourage students from sharing their views or offering feedback through appropriate channels, nor were any students penalised or reprimanded for voicing their opinions,” the spokesperson added.
The school said it would work with teachers to ensure that messages to students are “conveyed clearly”.
“We value our students’ perspectives and encourage them to share their thoughts directly with the school so that concerns can be addressed constructively. Any media engagement involving students is coordinated with the school and parents to safeguard students’ well-being,” the spokesperson added.
The new school meals are part of a hybrid canteen model launched on Jan 2 in partnership with SATS. It was designed to tackle the problem of long queue times during meal breaks and address sector-wide manpower shortages affecting canteen operations.
