SINGAPORE - When Mr Christopher Burgess’ son was enrolled in River Valley Primary School (RVPS), he would save up for a pizza slice from the school canteen.

“We gave him a daily allowance of $1... But he liked to save up and buy a pizza slice that cost $2.

“Eventually him and his friends ended up pooling their money to buy an entire pizza that 10 of them could share. They figured out that it was cheaper than if they’d all bought individual slices,” said Mr Burgess, a consultant.

He was one of several parents who were notified on Aug 15 that River Valley Primary School (RVPS) is among 13 schools that would be switching to a central kitchen model from 2026.

While most schools have an adequate number of canteen stalls, MOE said some schools are finding it increasingly difficult to attract stallholders to fill vacant stalls, even with low rental.

Mr Burgess said he felt a tinge of sadness that his Primary 2 daughter attending RVPS would miss out on canteen experiences that her older brother, who is now in Secondary 1, had.

“I want her to know the responsibility of being able to line up, managing her money and being able to choose... It’s empowering for a little eight-year-old to be able to have that agency and autonomy,” he said, adding though that he understands the school’s need for the change.

Another parent, who has two children in Primary 3 and Primary 6 in the same school, said she is glad the central kitchen meal model will address the canteen vendor shortage.

But she also has similar worries that her children will miss out on skills related to managing money.

“Without a canteen, and having their meals pre-ordered, they won’t be able to practise paying, counting their change and saving,” she said.