Impact of School Feeding Programme on Access to Basic Education: The Case of South Tongu District of the Volta Region, Ghana

Abstract

The study examined the impact of the school feeding programme on access to basic education in the South Tongu district in the Volta Region, Ghana. A convergent parallel mixed method research design was employed to conduct the study. Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling procedures were used to select 213 respondents for the study. Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion were used to collect the data for the study. Data gathered through questionnaires was analysed using descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies while interview data analysis was done using the thematic approach. The results of the study showed that the school feeding programme has a significant impact on increased enrolment, attendance and retention of pupils in the South Tongu district. However, the implementation of the programme has put pressure on teaching and learning materials as well as increased teacher-pupil ratio. The study recommended that plans and measures should be put in place by the government, implementation ministries and agencies on how to increase existing human, physical and financial resources for the school feeding programme to be sustained.

A systematic review of the impact of Ghana’s school feeding programme on educational and nutritional outcomes

“…For Gyasi et al (2018), the quality of food given to beneficiary pupils improved their academic performance. This outcome was reinforced by the findings of Milledzi et al (2017) which revealed that the academic performance of pupils increased with the starting of the SFP. In support of this, one of the beneficiary pupils stated "…When I eat, I become alert and able to concentrate.…”

“…This behavioural change by parents and their children is manifested in the levels of increase in such results as enrolment, attendance and retention (Lawson, 2012). Among the 16 sample studies of this review, 13 reported the positive impact of GSFP on behavioural outcomes (Aliu and Fawzia, 2014;Gyasi et al, 2018;Konzabre, 2018;Kudus, 2011;Mahama, 2017;Milledzi et al, 2017;Nyarko, 2014;Odame, 2014;Oduro-Ofori and Adwoa-Yeboah, 2014;Osei-Fosu, 2011;Serebour, 2017;Tagoe, 2018;Yendaw and Dayour, 2015). School enrolment increases due to SFP have been reported in 13 studies while 12 studies each reported the positive impact of SFP on attendance and retention (Table 3).…”

“…However, there are other factors that also contributed to school enrolment, attendance and retention. In the Savelugu/Nantong, South Tongu, districts and WA municipality, aside from the increase in enrolment, attendance and retention, SFPs also led to girls having access to education and the reduction in the incidence of sexual activities among them (Kudus, 2011;Mahama, 2017;Milledzi et al, 2017;Oduro-Ofori and Adwoa-Yeboah, 2014).…”

“…Eight sample studies investigated the impact of GSFP on cognitive development of school pupils (Aliu and Fawzia, 2014; Gyasi et al, 2018;Konzabre, 2018;Kudus, 2011;Milledzi, Keney, and Amponsah, 2017;Nyarko, 2014;Odame, 2014;Tagoe, 2018) Among these sample studies, six investigated the impacts on test score/academic performance while two investigated other cognitive effects. In Tamale metropolis, Aliu and Fawzia (2014) found that test score of beneficiary people of school meal increased as well as class attentiveness.…”

“…SFP had an impact on reducing school drop-out rate among beneficiaries of school meals (Mahama, 2017;Oduro-Ofori and Adwoa-Yeboah, 2014;Tagoe, 2018). Households income increase due to the supply of farm products to schools participating in the GSFP and the saving culture of parents who would have given their child's school feeding money if the SFP had not been in place was reported by (AliuandFawzia, 2014;Konzabre, 2018;Kudus, 2011;Mahama, 2017;Milledzi, et al, 2017;Oduro-Ofori and Adwoa-Yeboah, 2014;Tagoe, 2018). Stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa are promoting girl-child education due to the many socioeconomic factors limiting the girl-child education.SFP is one social invention that has been used to encourage girls' enrolment in schools and it has been reported to have a positive impact girls' enrolment (Konzabre, 2018;Kudus, 2011;Mahama, 2017).…”