School feeding programme as a service delivery mechanism to improve academic perfomance of learners at Tshishonga Primary School

Abstract

The study is based on the school feeding programme in the Thohoyandou area, which is predominantly a rural residential area in close proximity to Louis Trichardt. The school feeding programme is a national initiative that is driven by the Limpopo Education Department on a provincial level. The research investigated whether the school feeding scheme is being implemented effectively and efficiently. In this study, the researcher employed a mixed methodology, where both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. For data collection, two instruments were used, namely, questionnaires and interviews. The researcher employed a non-probability sampling with its subtype purposive sampling method to select the respondents for this study. Two types of data analysis were used, 11am data collected using questionnaire was analysed using a statistical analysis (Statistical Package for Social Sciences): and the data collected using interview schedule was analysed using a thematic analysis where the information was presented in a narrative form. MAIN FINDINGS OF THE STUDY INDICATE THAT:

• Lack of support for the programme from parents and the negative attitude shown by some learners towards school feeding meals and diet, continue to undermine the progress of the school feeding scheme programme. • The school feeding programme did encourage school attendances' amongst learners and thus subsequently improving academic performance. • Revealed that nutrition knowledge resulted in improved practices in food preparation and also resulted in improved nutritional status of learners. School feeding programme strengthen academic performance and improve the health of the population, however, the quality of educators had the need to be improved and also the teacher learner ratio had to be brought to a minimal optimal level in order to achieve the desired results RECOMMENDATlONS

• The Department of Education should embark on a major awareness drive to inform and educate the society about the existence of the school feeding programme and clearly elaborate its goals and objectives.

• As part of the National Policy for School Health, the Department of Health, Primary Health Care supervisor should conduct regular monitoring visits to asses and provide technical assistance on the school supplementary feeding programme so that better health and nutritional status can be obtained among the learners. • The primary schools have to come up with programmes to teach the learners participating in the school supplementary feeding programme one or two principles about nutrients at daily at a specific time before they receive food. • The community should participate more in activities that encourage the effective implementation of the school supplementary feeding programme in the schools.