"Bad Habit to Leave Food" Chinese Principal Eats Students' Leftovers... "True Education" vs. "Unhygienic" Controversy

The principal of a middle school in China ate the side dishes left uneaten by students in an effort to correct their habit of leaving food behind.
[Photo by Baidu]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A principal of a middle school in China has become a hot topic after it was revealed that he ate leftover food from students in the school cafeteria.

The principal emphasized that his actions were a leading example as part of an educational effort to correct students' habit of leaving food uneaten, but some criticized it as unhygienic behavior.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and others on the 9th, a video showing the actions of Wang Yongxin, the principal of a private middle school in Chiyang City, Hunan Province, China, was posted on Chinese social networking services (SNS).

In the video, Principal Wang stands next to the leftover food bin in the school cafeteria and takes the trays from students who were about to throw away leftover side dishes, eating the leftovers himself.

Principal Wang allowed only students holding trays with no leftovers to leave the cafeteria. He also advised students who were about to throw away food, saying, "Take only as much as you can eat and do not leave any behind."

Some students who saw the principal eating leftovers returned to their tables and ate the food they had left.

In an interview with the local newspaper Xiaoxiang Morning Post, Wang said, "I have been eating like this for three meals a day since last week." He added, "Last week at lunchtime, I ate side dishes left by about six or seven students."

The principal said, "I took on this task to let students know that wasting food is wrong," adding, "I grew up in a poor family and was often hungry as a child, so I realized the value of food."

He went on to say that not only students but also teachers were surprised by his actions, and added, "Recently, teachers and students have been asking cafeteria staff to serve smaller portions, and food waste has been decreasing."

The principal of a middle school in China ate the side dishes left uneaten by students in an effort to correct their habit of leaving food behind.
[Photo by Baidu]

Reactions to Principal Wang's actions were mixed. Some praised his behavior as a good example of leading by example, calling it "an excellent and vivid lesson that can correct the widespread culture of food waste in Chinese society."

On the other hand, some criticized, saying, "Eating food that others have eaten during the COVID-19 pandemic is unhygienic," and pointed out that "other educational methods should be sought."

In response, Principal Wang said, "The food in the school cafeteria is all prepared in the same kitchen, and all students and teachers eat here," adding, "The children are all like my own, so I have no hesitation in eating the food they leave behind."

Meanwhile, the Chinese central government has been focusing on reducing food waste since last year. China has decided to impose fines on restaurants that produce excessive food waste and customers who leave a lot of ordered food uneaten, according to the 'Food Waste Prevention Law' passed last April. It also banned live streaming shows that promote binge eating online.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.