SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME AND ITS EFFECT ON ENROLMENT, ATTENDANCE AND RETENTION IN THE KASENA NANKANA WEST DISTRICT, GHANA

Abstract

The study examined the effects of School Feeding Programme on enrollment, attendance and retention of pupils in beneficiary schools in the Kasena Nankana West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. It also looked at the institutional and stakeholder’s support system for the programme and the policy support for the sustainability of the School Feeding Programme. Kasena Nankana West District which had the lowest pupils’ enrolment, attendance and retention rates had been a beneficiary of this social intervention since 2011, yet, there no scientific studies conducted to assess the effect of the school feeding programme on enrolment, attendance and retention. To fill this gap, the current study explored the effects of the Programme on pupils’ enrolment, attendance and retention. The study was guided by the mixed method approach to research. Data for the study were collected using both interview schedules and in-depth interview guide as well as questionnaires. The study targeted 15 beneficiary schools from the total of 27 beneficiary schools in the Kasena Nankana West District and other key stakeholders. District Director of Education, the District Coordinator of School Feeding Programme, Head Teacher, Class Teacher, Students, Parents and Caterers were the units of analysis. Purposive sampling, stratified and simple random sampling procedures were used to select 167 respondents for the study. Questionnaires, semi-structured interview guides and observations were used to collect the data for the study. The research found that, the GSFP improved enrollment, attendance and retention of pupils in the beneficiary schools in the district. This research further disclosed that, the various institutions and stakeholders mandated to provide the needed support for the programme in the Kasena Nakana West District were not providing enough support to ensure effective implementation of the programme. The study also revealed that, most respondents who were also stakeholders in the programme were unaware of the existence of a policy framework that guides the operations of the programme. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the programme should be expanded to cover all Public Schools in the district. Also, the study recommends that the government should secure sustainable sources of funding for the programme with clear policy framework backed by legislation to support the programme.