7 reasons why school feeding programmes are so important
The School Lunch Programme at Bumakenya Primary School has been one of our biggest success stories to date.
A nutritious balance of maize flour porridge with groundnut paste (think - peanut butter!) served every day, to all our pupils, contributes to the improvements we've seen in attendance, and learning outcomes like PLE exam success rates. But there are some equally important but less obvious benefits that the programme brings.
With our attendance at Bumakenya continuing to rise and construction of a new school imminent, here are 7 key reasons why school feeding programmes are so important.
1) Physical Benefits
The importance of health and nutrition in ‘middle childhood’ (ages 5-12) cannot be underestimated. Illness, hunger, malnutrition and undernutrition are common barriers to physical development, as well as school enrolment.
There is strong evidence of feeding programmes aiding the physical development of children at a critical time, helping the child at a time when they are developing physically, and evidence suggests such programmes can improve overall micronutrient status and reduce the prevalence of anaemia in primary school-aged children and adolescent girls.
2)Educational Benefits
We know the benefits that nutrition can have on a child’s development, and this feeds into their academic achievement.
A systematic review into the effectiveness of school feeding programmes demonstrated a positive link between such programmes and academic indicators like test scores, because hungry children are less likely to learn effectively.
According to the World Food Programme, ‘investing in human capital development of children are among the most effective and productive investments that countries can make’.
3) Increased attendance
In rural Ugandan primary schools, where enrolment and attendance is low and dropout rates are high, the attraction of a regular, nutritious meal provides incentive for a parent to send their child to school.
At TUSP, we know many of the parents chose our school purely based on the free school lunch programme that we offer, and we are delighted with this! Our average attendance has risen from approximately 200 pupils in 2018 to over 450 (and counting!) in 2022.
Come for the lunch, stay for the learning.
4)Equity and Inclusion
Research documenting the physical and educational effects mentioned above also emphasise benefits in equity and inclusion in the context of primary schools. Particularly for girls, encouraging results have been documented on school performance through increased regular attendance. Decreasing dropout rates amongst female pupils especially is a known vehicle improving prosperity, lowering maternal health risk and reducing child mortality rates.
5) Local Economic Development
As the scope of our activities continues to grow – our attendance has increased by over 100% since 2018 – and we start to construct new schools, the School Feeding Programme will continue to boost local economic development. Farmers, food processors, cooks and people transporting the food and involved in the supply chain all feel the benefits.
6) Social protection
Poor harvest seasons are common in Eastern Uganda, and the unpredictability of weather patterns has been amplified by climate. The ‘rainy’ and ‘dry’ seasons start at different times every year, with drought and torrential downpours often impacting harvests and therefore food security.
By providing a free school meal, we are reducing families’ vulnerabilities to shocks such as adverse weather. The reliability of a regular, free lunch for their children can protect family incomes in challenging times..
7) Return on Investment
A cost-benefit analysis conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that potential economic returns on investment for school feeding programmes are comparable to the most cost-effective solutions promoted by the Copenhagen Consensus Center, a think tank which ranks the best development policies based on their cost-effectiveness.
According to the World Food Programme, ‘investing in human capital development of children are among the most effective and productive investments that countries can make’.
Summary
Equity and inclusion, together with physical, educational, and economic development are all crucial outcomes of investment in school feeding programmes.
What’s more, the cost-effectiveness of the programme is clear. One donation of £10 will feed all 450 pupils for one day. We’re seeking enough supporters to make sure every child is catered for, every day of the month.
Donate today to create positive impact that will stay with our pupils for the rest of their lives.