Effect of National Feeding Programme on Pupils' School Attendance in Chanchaga Local Government Area, Niger State

Abstract

National feeding programme is strategised to enhance and sustain elementary education as well as improving nutritional intake in school children. One of the primary objectives of the scheme is to retain and improve school attendance in government schools. After 5 years of implementing school feeding programme in Nigeria, this study seeks to evaluate the effects of feeding programme on school attendance in Chanchaga local government area of Niger State. Quantitative data were employed during this study. There are 34 public primary schools in Chanchaga LGA that benefit from the feeding programme and 9 schools were sampled to represent the nine-geo-political wards in Chanchaga LGA. Pupils in primary 1 to primary 3 are the ones benefiting from the feeding programme. Atotal of 1,363 questionnaires were distributed across the 9 schools using macorr online calculator to determine the sample size of each school. Results showed that 52% of the pupils were females and the menu for feeding was based on local crops grown within the State. Majority (78%) of the pupils attend school without food in their lunch flask while 57% of the pupils do not take money to school for feeding purpose. This study revealed that pupils' average school attendance is higher (2,541,420 annually) after the commencement of school feeding programme in Chanchaga LG than before (2,081,160 annually) the commencement of school feeding programme. The p-value reported for equal (0.008) and unequal (0.009) variances is lower than 0.05 implying that there is a statistically significant variation in pupils' school attendance before and after the commencement of school feeding programme using T-test. National School Feeding Programme is a good programme that aid parents and households. Research has shown that it is a good booster of school attendance in Chanchaga Local Government Area. Government should extent the programme to classes 4 - 6 so that they can also benefit from the programme.