Hwa Chong Institution is punishing individuals who made scathing remarks about food sold by SATS Catering |
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Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) student here, some recent developments on campus have concerned me a lot. Apparently, the school has slapped nine students with 5 demerit points each for being interviewed by various news agencies about the new SATS catered canteen food. Initially, I never cared much about the whole brouhaha. I didn't like it but didn't say anything either, that was until the school administration became extremely unreasonable. For context, according demerit points is part of HCI's disciplinary system, and 5 demerit points is a lot. Accumulating 5 or more instantly disqualifies you from going on overseas trips, attending special programmes (secondary 3 and 4) plus a whole lot of other opportunities. It is also synonymous with the worst conduct grade attainable. Those students who interviewed were merely expressing their personal opinions; they did not use vulgar or inflammatory language, resort to defamation or impersonation, or spoke on behalf on the school. Additionally, the students were interviewed OUTSIDE school grounds. Doling out punishments for doing something OUTSIDE of school defies both reason and logic! Such punitive actions by HCI are disappointing no doubt, then again I am hardly surprised. Truth be told, the current school administration has had an unenviable reputation of being utterly incompetent. Here's a fact: they regularly hold level-wide "feedback" sessions that do not actually take in feedback. At one point, multiple students had to badger the principal for very basic details on the purpose of a certain feedback session; even so, he still failed to satisfactorily furnish answers. Returning to said saga, the criticism of the SATS catering system in my opinion is completely justified. Whether the food appear appetizing aside, numerous other issues stick out like sore thumbs. These include:
1. Food was advertised to be priced between $2.20-$3. In reality, it hovers around $3.70-$4.70.
2. When SATS first dropped by in 2024 to solicit sentiment pertaining to their proposed fare, the food then was served buffet-style, freshly cooked and of pristine quality - a far cry from what is being sold today.
3. Maybe the bentos themselves could be considered, well, somewhat healthy. Nevertheless portions are rather small, not forgetting they potentially lack vital nutrients like protein growing kids require. An even bigger snag? You aren't permitted to order mutiple servings. Virtually everyone is against this entire catering arrangement. From what I gather, students across all levels, folks in student councils, almost all parents, even some teachers feel it stinks. A head teacher of a certain council explicitly expressed her disdain, mentioning she and her colleagues would instead be packing home-cooked food instead of buying onsite. Another ranking teacher cum head of a particular level also aired his grievances behind closed doors, but went ahead with implementing affairs owing to the principal's orders. If anything, the school administration should have stepped back, admitted the teething problems and endeavor to remedy them, rather than fervently attempt to suppress students' opinions through disciplinary penalties. To say the situation was severely mishandled is an understatement. I am absolutely, terribly, tremendously ashamed of HCI. Editor's Note: Hwa Chong Institution subsequently insisted no student was penalized regarding the controversial catered school meals fisaco. Yet meanwhile, a screenshot of a teacher's message (see below) dispatched to students within an online class chat allegedly cautioning students against speaking to external media lest there be "consequences" to bear which popped up on the internet has since been verified as authentic. So what gives, really?  |
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