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A Chinese school principal is making sure to eat his students’ leftovers
- The principal in central China wants to teach his pupils to avoid food waste
- But some people expressed concern that the practice was unhygienic
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Mandy Zuoin Shanghai
A school principal in central China revealed this week that he has been eating students’ leftovers from the school cafeteria to warn them against food waste.
The stunt by Wang Yongxin, the head of a private secondary school in Qiyang, Hunan province, sparked debate in China about the balance between proving a point and maintaining public hygiene.
A viral video from Tuesday showed Wang standing near the cafeteria waste bin, stopping children from throwing out their meals, and eating the leftovers. Some students watched him eat with embarrassed smiles while others started eating their food again after he stopped them from tossing it.
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Wang, 58, told local newspaper Xiaoxiang Morning Post that, starting last week, he has been having his three meals this way. He said that he ate unfinished meals from about six or seven kids during a lunch period last week.
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“I want to set an example for the kids, letting them know that it’s wrong to waste food. My behaviour has not only surprised the children but also teachers,” he was quoted as saying.
“Some children finished their food when they saw me eating their classmates’ leftovers. Now some of them voluntarily tell the staff how much food they need, which helps reduce waste,” he said.
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