SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME AND ACADEMIC PERFOMANCE OF PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN MUNYA LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA: AN EVALUATION

Abstract

The study assessed the School Feeding Programme among public primary school pupils in Munya Local Government Area in Niger State, Nigeria. The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of the programme on school enrolment, academic performance and the challenges faced in the course of implementing the programme. Abraham Maslow's Theory of needs was adopted. The study adopted the survey research design and obtained its data from primary source using structured questionnaire administered on one hundred (100) respondents in 10 randomly selected public primary schools in Munya Local Government Area in Niger State. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. It was also discovered that the school feeding programme in Niger State has resulted in an increase in pupils' enrolment 75(75%), encouragement of punctuality 87 (87%), as well as increase in academic performance 75(75%) activities. The study also discovered that the implementation of the programme is bedeviled by challenges such as insufficient fund 65(65%), overcrowded classrooms 65(65%)and small quantity of food served 66(66%). The study concluded that the state government should double its efforts to address the problems identified by the study in the programme implementation, this will sustain pupils' enrolment and increase academic performance thereby leading to nation-building. This can be done through sustainable funding to be solicited from all stakeholders, corporate bodies and multi-national companies. The study further suggests that proper monitoring groups should be set up in each ward so as to supervise the Vendours in the course of preparing and administration of the school feeding meals.