School leaders dismissed after food poisoning sends 40 students to hospital in central Vietnam

The People’s Committee of Kim Ngan Commune confirmed it had issued disciplinary decisions removing Do Van My, principal, and Do Thi Hong Hue, vice-principal of Kim Thuy Semi-Boarding Elementary School for Ethnic Minorities, following serious management violations linked to the incident.

According to the commune administration, the two school leaders were found to have failed in their management and supervision duties, allowing prolonged shortcomings that affected school operations and damaged the reputation of the local education sector.

The commune administration decided to dismiss them from their leadership positions.

After the dismissals, Tran Duy Binh, vice-chairman of the commune administration, was assigned to directly oversee and manage the school’s operations while authorities work to appoint a new principal.

The incident occurred on the morning of September 26, when 40 students developed symptoms consistent with food poisoning shortly after eating breakfast provided by the school’s boarding kitchen.

Symptoms included abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, prompting concern among teachers and parents.

However, authorities said the response was delayed.

Investigators determined that vice-principal Hue obstructed efforts to immediately transfer the affected students to hospital for emergency treatment.

As a result, it was not until about 9:30 am, nearly two hours after the first symptoms were detected, that all 40 students were finally taken to a medical facility for care.

Subsequent investigations by local authorities concluded that the students were poisoned due to bacterial contamination in food prepared at the school’s boarding kitchen.

In addition to the personnel dismissals, the provincial administration imposed an administrative fine of VND196.5 million (US$7,500) on the school for violations related to food safety regulations.