A kindergarten with the highest tuition fees in Nghe An province is accused of cutting back on children's food portions.

Shifting responsibility?

At the beginning of March, Maple Bear Arita UFO Kindergarten (located on Nguyen Thiep Street, Truong Vinh Ward, Nghe An Province) held a meeting with parent representatives to listen to feedback and announce some changes to the school. This was the third time in the past month that the school had met with parent representatives since the school was inspected and found to have many shortcomings in its boarding program. However, this meeting was still inconclusive, as the school mostly avoided answering parents' questions, especially regarding suspicions of food portion reductions for children.

The parent-teacher meeting became tense after some parents presented videos and images on a screen, claiming that the children's meals were of substandard quality. Parents stated that on the morning of February 3rd, after receiving the conclusion notice from the Truong Vinh Ward People's Committee regarding the school's shortcomings, many parents unexpectedly went to the school kitchen to investigate. There, they discovered a significant discrepancy between the quantity of food listed on the school's publicly available shopping list and the actual amount of food in the kitchen.

Specifically, on the morning of February 3rd, the school's chefs were preparing the main meal for the children. The shopping list for that day indicated 40kg of basa fish fillets. However, when parents weighed all the fish, it was less than 25kg. Furthermore, according to the parents, the amount of lean pork and vegetables they checked was also significantly less than what was stated on the shopping list…

Parents also received inconsistent answers regarding the frequency and timing of food deliveries each day. The vice principal of the boarding school stated that the school received food three times a day. Meanwhile, the head chef and the supplier claimed the school received food twice a day. In reality, parents checked the school's security cameras and observed that in previous days, the school only received food once a day. Only on the morning of February 3rd, after parents inspected the delivery, did the supplier bring food a second time, but even then, the quantity was insufficient according to the delivery slip.

At the meeting, parents requested an explanation from the school. However, neither the school's representatives, Mr. Tran Thanh Thinh – the CEO, nor the Vice Principal Kheo Thi Kieu Hanh, directly answered the questions. Mr. Thinh stated that he was not directly responsible for the matter and therefore could not answer, and that the principal in charge had been dismissed from her position effective March 1, 2026.

"Whether the principal resigns or not is a matter between her and the school. But this is the school's responsibility to the parents, and they can't just pass it on to someone who has already left," one parent said angrily.

After being questioned by parents, Ms. Kheo Thi Kieu Hanh finally admitted that on February 3rd, she had taken over responsibility for the boarding school program from the principal. However, she also stated that she did not directly receive the food, even though she was listed as one of the three parties required to sign the receipt in the records. Ms. Hanh claimed that she had only taken over 50% of the work, so she couldn't possibly have known everything.

“So who is responsible for the remaining 50% of the work, and who is accountable for the discrepancies in the food? Where did the remaining fish that were shortchanged go?” the parents continued to question. However, Ms. Hanh and the school's executive director remained silent, offering no answers.

"

Maple Bear Arita UFO Preschool is one of the most expensive preschools in Nghe An province. Specifically, the first level costs 4.9 million VND per month, while the other levels cost 7.9 million VND per month. Additionally, if children attend classes on Saturdays, the total cost exceeds 9.1 million VND per month. However, following recent scandals, many parents have requested transfers for their children. Specifically, in January 2026, the school had nearly 487 students, but currently, almost 100 children have been withdrawn by their parents.

Parents are outraged.

Also at the meeting, another parent stated that since July 1, 2025, the school had increased the meal fee to 55,000 VND/day, but the children's meals remained unchanged and very meager. “But since February 3, 2026, that is, after the parents come to inspect, the meals have been more substantial, even though the meal fee hasn't changed. So, were the meals of good quality before then?” this parent questioned, presenting several images comparing the old and new meals.

"At preschool age, nutrition is the most important thing. Now there is clear evidence that the number of students admitted has been reduced, meaning money has been cut. This is not commensurate with the money we parents have worked so hard to pay for our children's education. Therefore, the responsibility lies with the entire system, with the investors," parents said angrily.

Many parents also expressed a lack of trust in this expensive school. “There are too many problems. This is the third meeting, but the investor is still absent, while more and more issues are being exposed. The school must face the problems directly, instead of blaming this person or that person. At this meeting, parents raised many valid questions, but none of the school representatives could answer any of them, only focusing on how the school has changed. I pay nearly 8 million VND per month, and my child eats like this. With nearly 500 children, the main meal only consists of 25 kg of fish – how much does each child get? Cutting back on children's meal money is a crime,” said a parent whose child has attended the school for many years, demanding that the school hold another meeting with the investor, the school board, and all responsible individuals present to answer parents' questions and discuss solutions for the future.

Later, despite promising parents another meeting in the coming days, on the morning of March 5th, in an interview with reporters from Nghe An Newspaper and Radio and Television, Mr. Tran Thanh Thinh - Director of Maple Bear Arita UFO Kindergarten - denied everything. He claimed that there was no truth to the parents' accusation that the school was cutting back on children's food portions. "The meeting with parents on March 2nd only focused on the school announcing personnel changes, and we haven't heard any complaints from parents about that," Mr. Thinh said.