The disruption was evident on Sep 7, when hundreds of parents gathered outside Trung Nhat Primary School in Cau Kieu Ward at around 11 a.m. to pick up their children.
The school had informed families that lunch and midday supervision would not be available from Sep 7 to 9, meaning pupils would attend only one session a day for three days.
To ease congestion at the school gates, dismissal times were staggered by 10 minutes, with first graders leaving at 10:30 a.m., followed by second graders at 10:40 a.m., third graders at 10:50 a.m., fourth graders at 11 a.m., and fifth graders at 11:10 a.m.
The school is expected to resume midday services on Sep 10, when all five grades will return to the usual two-session school day.
Similar arrangements have been reported elsewhere. Tan Binh Primary School in Tan Binh Ward and Nguyen Ba Ngoc Primary School in Binh Thoi Ward have also been unable to provide midday care since Sep 7, leaving pupils to attend only one session a day.
Other schools, including Hung Vuong Primary School in Tan Hoa Ward, Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in Khanh Hoi Ward, and Chanh Hung Secondary School in Chanh Hung Ward, are maintaining morning and afternoon classes but have not yet introduced lunch and midday supervision.
Chanh Hung Secondary School said the service was expected to begin on Sep 9. Until then, students leave school at 10:45 a.m. and return for afternoon classes at 1:15 p.m.
Nhu Y, whose child is in ninth grade at Chanh Hung Secondary School, said the school announced the temporary suspension of midday services shortly before classes began, leaving his family struggling to arrange transportation.
"My wife and I have to take turns leaving work early to pick up our child, prepare lunch, and then take the child back to school for the afternoon session," he said.
"Making several trips a day disrupts parents' work and is also tiring for students. Schools should consider holding only one session a day until midday services can be provided, which would reduce the burden on both students and their families."
Reorganization creates administrative bottlenecks
Mr. Tat Quoc Thang, Principal of Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in Khanh Hoi Ward, said the delay stemmed from procedures required after the city's school network was reorganized.
The school is completing assessments of the legal status of suppliers, food quality, and the selection of companies providing school meals. It is also working to standardize facilities across its campuses to ensure student safety.
Parents who live far from school or are unable to arrange midday transportation can contact their child's homeroom teacher for assistance, he said.
Ms. Duong Thi Ngoc Phuong, Principal of Hung Vuong Primary School in Tan Hoa Ward, said the school was formally established on Aug 26, 2026, through the merger of Hung Vuong and Chi Lang primary schools, both in the same ward.
The newly merged school is temporarily using the former school's seal to process financial documents signed before the restructuring. It can sign a new contract with a food supplier only after receiving its new official seal.
Under current plans, meals will be prepared at the main campus, the former Hung Vuong Primary School, before being transported to the other campuses for students.
The procedural difficulties come amid tighter food-safety requirements for educational institutions.
Under Directive 33/CT-TTg, issued by the Prime Minister on Aug 14, 2026, commune, ward, and special-zone authorities are responsible for reviewing the legal status and food quality standards of suppliers and selecting companies that provide food and prepared meals to schools in their jurisdictions.
Because the reorganization of the school network took place shortly before the start of the academic year, local authorities are now racing to review documentation, verify suppliers' legal status, and assess food quality so schools can meet the legal requirements for providing meals and midday care.
Figures from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training show that 1,273 educational institutions, or 86 percent of the total affected by the restructuring, have completed the required legal procedures.
However, a surge in applications for new official seals has caused localized backlogs at police agencies. So far, only 776 institutions, or 52 percent, have received them.
Without them, schools cannot complete procedures to open transaction accounts with the State Treasury and commercial banks. Only 788 schools, or 53 percent, have, so far, finalized their account procedures, creating further difficulties in handling financial matters.
Schools are also taking steps to minimize disruption for students following mergers. Pupils will continue studying at their existing campuses and will not be required to change uniforms immediately. New uniforms will be introduced gradually from the 2027-2028 academic year.
Ms. Le Thanh Huong, Principal of Tran Hung Dao Primary School in Cau Ong Lanh Ward, said facilities and specialized classrooms would be shared across campuses, with no differences in teaching arrangements for students at different locations.
The school's two vice principals will also alternate responsibility for its second campus monthly rather than being permanently assigned to separate sites, she said, a measure intended to maintain consistency and cohesion across the school’s teaching staff.
