Provision of meals to the learners and their learning achievements in primary schools of Kyenzige sub-county, Kagadi district, Uganda.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish the state of feeding and food supplies for meals to the learners in primary schools of Kyenzige sub county, Kagadi District and how it impacted on their education achievements. The objectives of the study were to establish the availability of food supplies for meals to the learners at school, to assess the impact of the amount of food supplies meant for meals to be served to the learners on their learning achievements and to put forward suggestive solution to improve the amount of food supplies to be used to provide meals to the learners at school for the benefit of their learning achievements. Quantitative and Qualitative methods were used on samples to collect required data from among 70 respondents which involved the learners, school heads, teachers and parents and religious leaders. Majorly there was use of instruments like interview guide and questionnaire which was very crucial. The study also was able to get samples from village schools and those in established as historical schools in semi urban and small-town ships of Kyenzige S/C. Data on food supplies in school for learners’ meals was collected by use of questionnaires with closed ranking items, structure interview guides were used on (Head teachers, teachers and religious leaders). Data from questionnaire was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics of analysis of variance and T – test, while that interview was subjected to frequency analysis by counting number of responses. The findings came out as suggesting that schools which served meals to their learners had them settled, attending school daily and performing well in academic work while on centrally those which did not serve meals to their learners had majorly going hungry and only a few who managed packed food from their home. This affected their performance generally at school. From the study the conclusions came out as; first; the absence of food supplies for meals for learners in school had a negative effect on general performance of learners. Secondly; learners who had meals packed from home equally performed well like those who had meals served by the school. Finally, absenteeism due to lack of meals at school or from home affected general performance of learners. Based on the conclusions above the study came out to recommend that: In schools where learners’ meals weren’t served, the management should embark on establishing school based agricultural practices to produce food for the meals to the learners. The management of the schools should go ahead to engage in sensitization of parents to supplement the schools’ effort by contributing food items in cash or kind. To ensure sustainability of schools’ feeding program. Finally, government to ensure applicability of the school and nutrition program to take effect by customizing activities for sourcing food for learners’ meals in respective schools’ localities.