Some Schools Haven't Received Grouper Meals Yet 「班班石斑」計畫 傳有部分學校仍未吃到

The Council of Agriculture and Ministry of Education launched a plan at the end of October to have elementary and junior high school students consume grouper after China banned its import. Some students have not yet been able to eat the fish. 

These lunches that are being packed up in boxes contain one more dish than usual. This extra dish is "Italian-style fresh vegetables with baked grouper." These boxed lunches were then delivered to 20 elementary and junior high schools in the greater Taipei area, where students got to eat grouper for the first time.

Chen Ming-hsin, Chairperson, Boxed Foods Industry Association: “The Fisheries Agency arranges for the shipment to those processing factories that won the bid, and then we incorporate it into our menus. We anticipate the second time and maybe even the third will be in December.”

Meanwhile, Education Minister Pan Wen-chung told the legislature that 14 cities and counties are providing grouper meals and there are still a few schools where students haven't yet been able to eat grouper.

Wan Mei-ling, Legislator (KMT): “You won't renege on this policy, will you?”
Pan Wen-chung, Education Minister: “The funding has already been arranged and is in place, so now it's just a matter of supplying the ingredients. I guarantee that each child will be able to eat it four times.”

One legislator expressed concerns that the government would not be able to achieve its promise, prompting Pan to repeatedly say that the NT$600 million budget has been spent as intended and that all junior high and elementary school students will be able to enjoy four grouper meals. Another legislator asked if the program will be extended to next semester if students don't get all four of their grouper meals in the remaining two months of this semester.

Huang Kuo-shu, Legislator (Ind.): “We can't let some children get more and others less, so will those who aren't able to get it this semester definitely get it next semester? Okay, okay. All I want to hear is that they'll be able to eat it next semester. ”
Pan Wen-chung, Education Minister: “Yes. Right now, the issue is the scheduling of supplies. Every student will definitely eat it four times.”

Pan said there is a huge supply and the preparation takes time, so some students haven't yet been able to eat grouper. China has not only banned grouper imports, but also imports of white hairtail. One legislator suggested removing the bones and using white hairtail to replace grouper in future school meals. Pan said this needs to be discussed with the Council of Agriculture.

團膳人員把剛煮好的營養午餐迅速裝進餐盒，外加的這道義式鮮蔬烤石斑再過一個多小時，將送到大台北地區20所中小學400個班級，讓學生首次食用。

餐盒公會全聯會理事長陳明信表示：「漁業署在相關的這個得標的加工廠，他的一個到貨時間，我們把它安排在菜單裡，所以預計在12月份會吃第2次，甚至第3次的部分。」

業者說，24日這輪後，供餐的1200個班級午餐全都有吃到一次石斑魚。潘文忠上午在立院教委會表示，目前已有14縣市在供餐，剩少數學校還沒吃到。

國民黨立委萬美玲提問：「這個政策不會跳票嗎？」

教育部長潘文忠回應：「因為經費都編完了也都到位了，現在只是食材供應的問題，孩子吃4次的這個一定會完成。」

遭立委萬美玲質疑石斑魚跳票，潘文忠未正面回應，多次強調6億經費都到位，中小學生都會吃到4次。立委黃國書問到，這學期剩2個月，若學期結束前沒吃到，會不會延到下學期繼續吃？

無黨籍立委黃國書說道：「不會讓哪個孩子多吃或少吃，所以這個學期沒吃到的，下個學期一定會讓他們吃嘛？」

教育部長潘文忠回應：「對，現在就是這個供貨調度的問題。」潘文忠強調，一定每個孩子都會吃到4次。

潘文忠說，因供應量大處理需時間，仍有孩子未吃到石班魚很不好意思，至於黃國書建議，同遭中國禁止的白帶魚可做無刺加工，未來可否取代石斑魚放入午餐，潘文忠表示，還要和農委會討論。