Factors that lead to sustainability of school-feeding programs in rural community secondary schools: a case study of two secondary schools in Nachingwea district, Lindi – southern Tanzania

Date of Award

11-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Dr. Lilian Vikiru

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Veronica Sarungi

Department

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Abstract

School feeding programs (SFPs) have increasingly received a considerable attention as instruments for improving students‟ academic and nutritional developments in rural community secondary schools. This demands the programs to have certain qualities to be able to achieve their intended goals and objectives. Amongst these is sustainability to guarantee students in the schools with food in regular bases conditional on school attendance and the programs‟ contributions. Many studies have been conducted on SFPs in Tanzania but not in Lindi region and the Nachingwea district in particular. This is different with culture which has been extensively examined in the area. However, these studies have not investigated the factors that lead to sustainability of SFPs. This research, hence, sought to explore the factors that lead to sustainability of SFPs it aimed at exploring the perceptions rural community secondary stakeholders have with regard to what particular stakeholders‟ practices and perceptions which lead to and shape a sustainable SFP in their contexts. A qualitative case study design was employed in secondary schools involving 19 participants. Finding s reveal that SFPs‟ stakeholders had involved in political, economic, management and organizational, and program assessment and evaluation activities that corresponded to the factors leading to sustainability of SFPs such as advocating the programs for resources, establishing policies for sustained funding, integrating the programs into schools‟ operation, program evaluation, and effective communication strategies to mention. These practices led to the sustainability of the programs as they provided the programs with political support, consistent financial bases, effective management of program activities, appropriate planning and documentation, as well as community awareness and participation in the programs. The study calls for involvement of political champions, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations to harness community participation and stable funding sources for the programs.

This document is available in the relevant AKU library

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