Whether children are eating safely and enjoyably at school is a key concern for families and a top priority for school administration. Issues such as lack of transparency in food sourcing, non-public food preparation processes, and poor communication between schools and parents about meals have long been common pain points. To address these school meal supervision challenges and bridge the final gap in home-school collaboration, the Education Bureau of Gao Lan County innovatively launched the "Mama Canteen" mechanism in October last year.
This system selectively hires responsible parents with catering experience to work in school kitchens. Through systematic training, full-process participation, and regular supervision, a closed-loop management system is established. Currently, the "Mama Canteen" model covers 21% of schools in the county. It strengthens campus food safety through warm-hearted supervision, transparent operation, and effective home-school linkage, safeguarding the "growth on the tip of the tongue" for students.
Home-Style Warmth Fills the School Canteen
At 5 a.m., with a faint morning light on the horizon, the campus of Gao Lan No.3 Middle School is quiet except for the brightly lit and warm school canteen kitchen. In the clean and tidy preparation area, fully uniformed staff begin their busy day. Ingredient inspection, sorting, washing, and preparation are carried out in an orderly and meticulous manner.
Today's breakfast is steamed buns. From kneading the dough and mixing the filling to shaping, steaming, and serving, everything is made fresh daily, avoiding overnight ingredients to preserve a home-style taste to the greatest extent. After service, staff meticulously wipe tables, clean floors, and sanitize utensils, thoroughly cleaning both the kitchen and dining areas to maintain a pristine environment ready for the next meal.
Gao Lan No.3 Middle School has over 800 students, with nearly a quarter relying on the school canteen for three meals a day. Vice Principal Shi Yewen admitted that while the school has always strived to improve its catering service—by setting up a suggestion box and posting weekly menus—there were still occasional complaints about taste and portion sizes.
Now, negative feedback from teachers, students, and parents has significantly decreased, and satisfaction with school meals has markedly improved. This change is largely attributed to a special staff member in the canteen: Jiao Zhihong, who is both a cook and a parent of a student.
"Every parent shares the same wish: for their child to eat safely and healthily, ensuring good health and allowing them to focus on studies," said Jiao Zhihong, parent of a seventh-grader. Since joining the canteen, he has infused a parent's care into his work. He strictly rejects any substandard ingredients during inspection and adheres to food safety protocols during cooking, avoiding overly oily, salty, spicy, or fermented dishes in favor of light, nutritious, and balanced home-style meals.
Furthermore, Jiao actively bridges communication between school and home, regularly soliciting feedback from parent groups and adjusting menu items and portions based on student needs and parent suggestions. This attentive service and familiar taste have greatly enhanced the children's dining experience.
"We all trust Uncle Jiao very much. The food he makes is as delicious as home cooking," said Li Wenhao, a seventh-grade boarding student from Heishi Town. The students know about Jiao's dual role and feel comfortable voicing their requests, receiving patient explanations even when immediate changes aren't possible, fostering mutual understanding and trust.
Full-Process Supervision Strengthens the Safety Net
By noon, as temperatures rise, the canteen at Sanchuankou School is bustling yet orderly. In response to the recent heatwave, the canteen considerately adjusted the menu, preparing cool noodles and suitably warm broth, demonstrating "maternal" care in the details to ensure students enjoy their summer meals.
"Education is never a solo performance by the school, but a collaborative effort between home and school," said Li Zhendong, Principal of Sanchuankou School. Introducing parent-workers into the school canteen not only bolsters service capacity but also establishes a down-to-earth supervision system and communication channel. Being on the front lines, parent-workers can accurately identify operational and dining issues, promptly relay feedback, and drive swift improvements, making school meal management more aligned with student needs and parental expectations.
Yang Huixia, a parent of a fifth-grader, is one such "Canteen Mom" at Sanchuankou School. Her duties extend beyond basic tasks like washing vegetables and sanitizing utensils to include critical supervisory roles. She monitors key processes including ingredient acceptance, food preparation, sanitation, and food sample retention. If any safety hazards or service issues are identified, she can report directly to the school's logistics department or even the county Education Bureau, enabling direct problem escalation and closed-loop resolution.
"Working in the canteen, I am both a service provider and a parent supervisor," Yang shared. Her dual perspective allows her to spot subtle issues in student meals and collaborate with the school on adjustments. Moreover, her firsthand involvement has given her a deeper understanding of the challenges in school meal management. When faced with misunderstandings or doubts from other parents, she proactively explains the processes, helping to dissolve home-school barriers and build consensus, transforming the relationship from mutual skepticism to collaborative partnership.
Home-School Collaboration Unlocks a Win-Win Situation
In Shichuan, the local booming cultural tourism and fruit industries have increased residents' incomes. Compared to seasonal farm work, the "Mama Canteen" model at Mingde Primary School is favored by families with children, as the jobs allow them to balance family responsibilities with income.
"I used to work in the pear orchards in summer, earning income for only a few months. The long hours made it impossible to care for the elderly and children at home," said Wang Qiao, a "Canteen Mom" at Mingde Primary School, expressing contentment with her current role. Working in the school canteen provides her with a stable monthly income close to home, enabling her to earn a living while caring for her family—a win-win situation.
The benefits of this mutual empowerment are increasingly evident in school governance. Liu Xiaobin, Director of Academic Affairs at Mingde Primary School, noted that since implementing the "Mama Canteen" mechanism, complaints and feedback from parents regarding food safety, meal quality, and service have nearly vanished. During routine home visits, parents have praised and highly endorsed this innovative approach, laying a solid foundation for deeper home-school collaboration and improved school governance.
According to Wei Yancang, Director of the School Safety Office at the Gao Lan County Education Bureau, the positive impact of "Mama Canteen" is clear in participating schools: kitchen operations are more standardized, ingredient quality is more controllable, meal flavors are more homely, home-school communication is smoother, and students dine with greater peace of mind. Parents have transitioned from bystanders to participants, from skeptics to supervisors, effectively addressing governance challenges related to opaque information and inadequate supervision in school catering.
Evolving to Safeguard Dining Happiness
Some may mistakenly think "Mama Canteen" is merely about providing local jobs for parents. In reality, it represents an innovative breakthrough in Gao Lan County's school meal governance, establishing a standardized, regulated, and常态化 operational system.
Director Wei Yancang explained that the mechanism strictly follows a closed-loop management model of "pre-job training + full-process participation + dynamic supervision." All parent-workers must complete specialized training in food safety knowledge, operational standards, and emergency response, passing assessments and obtaining certification before starting work, ensuring professional and standardized service from the outset.
Since its implementation, governance results have been significant. The number of students eating at school has steadily increased, food waste has decreased substantially, parental concerns about school meals have diminished, satisfaction has risen, and the quality and effectiveness of school meal governance have seen dual improvement.
An Jing, Deputy Director of the Gao Lan County Education Bureau, stated that the county will continue to diligently maintain the常态化 operation of "Mama Canteen." Efforts will persist to make the entire process—from ingredient procurement and inspection to menu design, food preparation, and sanitation—fully transparent. Strict controls will be maintained over ingredient access, processing operations, and hygiene safety. Furthermore, the county plans to expand the model's coverage, employ more parents, and innovatively implement a rotating "Parent Supervisor" system to involve more parents deeply in school canteen management.
In conclusion, food safety is no small matter, and student health is of paramount importance. Campus food safety is a major livelihood issue for countless families and a fundamental project for safeguarding youth health. Every meal and dish served to students relates not only to their growth and health but also carries parental hopes, community warmth, and the original intent of education. Gao Lan County's innovative "Mama Canteen" initiative, driven by the "constant sense of responsibility" of these parent-workers, translates food safety regulations from paper into daily practice. It forges a co-governance structure tightly binding parent supervision, departmental regulation, and school management. Simultaneously, it provides a replicable model for quality education based on home-school同心 and常态化 collaborative governance.
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