Influence of school meals on students' enrolment in selected secondary schools in Mukono District, Kyampisi Subcounty

Abstract

Background: School meals are essential for the education and wellbeing of learners at school. These meals provided at school are essential in achieving the Millennium Development Goals related to hunger and poverty, education and gender equality as well as child mortality and maternal health. The aim of this study was to find out the impact of school meals on enrollment of students in selected secondary schools in Mukono district, kyampisi sub county. The overall sample size was 357 participants which comprised of 335 students, 19 teachers and 3 head teachers.

Methodology: A survey research design was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. simple random and purposeful sampling techniques were used to select the population of study and the methods used in collection of data in the study involved the use of questionnaires methods, interview methods, observation method, focus group discussion and documentary review.

Results: The study found out that posho and beans were the daily meals supplied to students though some of the schools supplement that meal with fruits and greens and or change the meals at least in a week. There was a high rate of students intentionally missing meals in schools with monotonous meals hence depending on snacks of which these are not nutritious. The study also found out that students were more inclined to join schools because of the meals provided and that the schools that provided a variety of meals to learners had a higher enrollment of students than the schools that provide less variety of meals. It was also discovered that school meals had both direct and indirect effects on enrollment of students through affecting attitude of parents and learners and through affecting academic performance of learners respectively.

Conclusion: School meals being an important factor in influencing enrollment of students, it is important for schools to improve on the meals provided to learners so as to aim for the millennium development goals related to hunger and poverty, education and gender equality and indirectly to child mortality and maternal health.