The Ministry of Education (MOE) has no intention of implementing the central kitchen meal model across all schools and has not set any nationwide rollout target, said Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau in Parliament.
Addressing questions on the model’s scope and long-term direction on Tuesday (3 Feb), Ms Lau said the central kitchen approach was developed as an alternative to support schools that face persistent difficulties in attracting canteen stallholders, rather than as a replacement for the traditional school canteen system.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
She added that MOE will continue to explore the model only in schools where such challenges exist, and does not plan to scale it up across the education system.
Ms Lau’s remarks came in response to questions raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) on the implementation of the central kitchen model.
The pilot scheme was first introduced in 2022 at Yusof Ishak Secondary School, which had relocated from Bukit Batok to Punggol and subsequently struggled to secure canteen stallholders at its new site.
Source: Ministry of Education, for illustration purposes only
Following what Ms Lau described as “positive results” from the pilot, MOE expanded the initiative by testing a range of central kitchen models across 13 schools facing similar challenges.
She said the positive outcomes include shorter waiting times for food, which allows students more time to interact during recess.
Parents are also better informed about what their children are eating, enabling them to support healthier and more balanced diets.
Teachers, meanwhile, have access to a wider variety of food options within schools.
Ms Lau added that MOE will continue to review feedback and assess different approaches to better meet students’ needs.
“We will explore the central kitchen model only with schools facing such difficulties. We have no intention to scale this to all schools, nor do we have a target in mind,” she said.
Addressing a question from Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang on whether MOE would consider paying individual hawkers to operate school canteens, Ms Lau said the ministry remains open to applications from both individuals and entities, particularly for schools with multiple vacancies.
She added that MOE is prepared to provide financial support to stallholders if necessary, to ensure students continue to have access to healthy and affordable meals.
As an example, Ms Lau noted that monthly stall rentals are capped at about S$5 to S$15, and are waived during school holidays when demand is lower.
Source: Corporation Primary School, for illustration purposes only
MOE also seeks preferential electricity tariffs through demand aggregation, with any cost savings passed on to stallholders.
However, Ms Lau stressed that the challenges faced by canteen operators go “deeper than just costs”.
With limited operating hours and a small customer base, she said the issues surrounding canteen operations are “complex” and have “no easy solutions”.
“But we will continue to explore new ways and different ways to support our stallholders,” Ms Lau added.
Several MPs also raised concerns over food safety, in light of recent gastroenteritis cases reported at River Valley Primary School (RVPS) and North View Primary School (NVPS).
Since 14 Jan, about 60 students at RVPS were reportedly affected by gastroenteritis. In the same week, 147 students at NVPS also fell ill.
Ms Lau noted that while RVPS is among the schools using the central kitchen model, NVPS continues to operate under the traditional canteen model.
Both cases remain under investigation by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), and MOE.
In the meantime, the affected schools have stepped up cleaning and sanitation efforts at canteens and food-related premises.
She added that the schools have maintained close communication with parents, and all affected students have since returned to school.
Responding to a question from Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Goh Hanyan on food safety measures, Ms Lau said SFA has increased inspections of central kitchen operators supplying school meals since August 2025.
These operators are subject to more frequent checks due to the scale of their food production and the vulnerability of the consumers they serve, including children and the elderly.
Ms Lau also noted that each central kitchen operator is capped at supplying no more than four to five schools.
This safeguard is intended to contain potential operational risks and minimise wider impact should issues arise.
The arrangement also allows MOE to review performance standards and plan backup options where necessary.
Should food safety breaches occur, Ms Lau said SFA will take immediate enforcement action, which may include temporary suspension or, in more serious cases, termination of operations.
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Featured image adapted from MDDI Singapore on YouTube and Ministry of Education, for illustration purposes only.