Parents understand need for pre-packed meals, but some lament loss of 'canteen experiences'

When Mr Christopher Burgess' son was enrolled in River Valley Primary School (RVPS), he would save up for a slice of pizza from the school canteen.

- Elisha Tushara

"We gave him a daily allowance of $1... But he liked to save up and buy a pizza slice that cost $2.

"Eventually, he and his friends ended up pooling their money to buy an entire pizza that 10 of them could share. They figured out that it was cheaper than if they'd all bought individual slices," said Mr Burgess, a consultant.

He was one of several parents who were notified on Aug 15 that RVPS is among 13 schools that will be switching to a central kitchen model from 2026.

While most schools have an adequate number of canteen stalls, The Ministry of Education (MOE) said some schools are finding it increasingly difficult to attract stallholders to fill vacant stalls, even with low rental.

Mr Burgess said he felt a tinge of sadness that his Primary 2 daughter attending RVPS would miss out on canteen experiences that her older brother, who is now in Secondary 1, had.