The Effects of School Feeding Programme on Enrolment and Performance of Public Elementary School Pupils in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the School Feeding Programme of public elementary school pupils in Osun State, Nigeria. It wasdone with a view to determine its effects on school enrolment, retention, and academic performance of the pupils. Italso elicited the challenges encountered in the implementation of the programme. The study adopted the surveyresearch design and obtained its data from primary and secondary sources. The primary data were obtained through astructured questionnaire administered on116 respondents in 10 randomly selected public elementary schools in OsunState. The questionnaire was complemented by in-depth interview of 23 purposively selected officers involved in theimplementation and monitoring of the school feeding programme. The retrieved data were analysed using descriptivestatistics. The results showed that pupils are fed daily through the school feeding programme (87%), which is fundedthrough cost sharing between the State and local governments (78%). It was also found that the school feedingprogramme in Osun State has resulted in an increase in pupils’ enrolment (78.4%), retention (44.8%), as well asregularity (58.6%) and punctuality (69%) in school attendance. It has also enhanced the pupils’ performance incurricular and extracurricular activities (55.2%). The major challenges were found to be insufficient funding (62.2%),insufficient classrooms and furniture to cope with increase in enrolment (60.86%), heavy workload for teachers(60.86%) and lack of effective monitoring and evaluation system (60.86%).The study concluded that the SchoolFeeding Programme in Osun State has increased the enrolment and improved the performance of elementary schoolpupils in the state.