School Feeding Program and Its Impact on Academic Achievement in ECDE in Roret Division, Bureti District in Kenya

Abstract

The School Feeding Program (SFP) is an essential aspect of child growth and holistic development. To establish a functional SFP, parents should be involved in all procedures to ensure sustainability of the program which will cater for children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds hence academic achievements among Early Childhood and Development (ECDE) children. The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship, if any, between type of school and success of school feeding program, and to determine the relationship, if any, between school feeding program and academic achievement among ECD children. The target population were Head teachers in Roret Division, Bureti District. The schools were first placed in two strata of public and private category then schools were randomly selected comprising of 24 Head teachers. Data was collected through questionnaires administered to the Head teachers in the ECD centres. Observation and checklist was used by the researcher to verify what had been said by respondents and validate what was reported through questionnaire. The data collected was presented analysed and reported in terms of percentages, frequencies, means, chi-square and F-test. The results obtained indicate that schools providing SFP showed high academic achievement among ECD children. The study is significant as it provides DICECE officers, teachers, Parents, QASO and policy makers to establish functional and sustainable SFP in all ECD centres with a view to improving health and academic performance in both public and private schools in Kenya.