FACTORS INFLUENCING SUSTAINABILITY OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME: A CASE OF PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KAJIADO CENTRAL SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
Peninah Jerono - Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Peter Nzuki - Lecturer, Department of Educational Programmes, University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
This study sought to establish factors influencing sustainability of school feeding programme in public primary schools in Kajiado Central Sub County, Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives; to assess how community participation influences sustainability of school feeding programme in public primary schools Kajiado central sub-county, To examine the extent which funding influences sustainability of school feeding programme in public primary schools Kajiado central sub-county, to assess the extent to which Board of Managements influences sustainability of school feeding programme in public primary schools Kajiado Central sub-county and to determine how monitoring and evaluation influences sustainability of school feeding programme in public primary schools Kajiado county .The theoretical framework of the study was based on the Rand Change Agent (RCA) model advanced by Berman and McLaughlin (1978). The study adopted a descriptive research design. A target population of 340 respondents (head teachers, deputy head teachers, the teachers in charge of SFP, education officers and SFP programme managers’) was reached. Simple random sampling was employed to select a total of 181 respondents from which 170 filled in and returned the questionnaires making a return rate of 94%. This return rate was satisfactory to make conclusions for the study. The study used descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data collected. The findings showed that there was a strong positive correlation between community participation, funding, Board of Management, monitoring and evaluation and sustainability of the school feeding programme. The coefficient of determination calculated an R-square of (76.6%) which explained that all the four predictor variables accounted for 76.6% of the total variation in sustainability of the School Feeding Programme in Kajiado Central Sub County, Kenya. The study thus concluded that community participation, funding, Board of Management, monitoring and evaluation do have an influence on sustainability of the SFP in Kajiado County. The study recommended that the government should ensure that there is proper and regular feeding programme in all public primary schools in the ASAL regions characterized by acute food insecurity. The government should also provide funds in good time for the feeding programmes and ensure it is adequate for the schools according to the pupil population.
