EFFECT OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM ON ENROLMENT AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF JIJIGA DISTRICT, SOMALI REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of school feeding program on student enrolment, retention in Jijiga district’s formal primary schools (1-4 grades) of Ethiopian Somali regional state. Comparative cross sectional research design was employed for this study. The total sample size of the study was 376 respondents. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select students, and members of PTAs. However, students were categorized by sex and then generated equal numbers from both males and females. Purposive sampling technique was applied to select school directors and homeroom teachers. Structured questionnaire was prepared for each of the five groups and interviews made by employed enumerators. Before actual data collection time, a pretest of instrument was conducted and observed mistakes were corrected. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The difference on enrolment mean between SFP and Non-SFP schools was found to be 298, which was 59% higher in SFP schools where the study has shown that the result was statistically significant .Furthermore, study further examined within the 3 target SFP schools comparing enrolment status before program was introduced against the enrolment status when program started. As a result, it was found that the mean enrolment was 39% higher when SFP commenced and the study indicated that the result was statistically significant. The average mean dropout rate for SFP schools, in 2005-2007EC, found to be 3.5% while it was 11.2% for Non-SFP schools with 7.7% higher that of SFP schools. However, the study has shown that the drop-out rate in SFP schools was not statistically different from that of Non-SFP schools, which means that the program performance on increasing retention (minimizing dropout rate) was not statistically significant. Moreover, delay in food delivery, lack of enough non-food items (plates, cups, spoons, cooking pots, buckets, etc.) and lack of community participation were the major challenges for SFP implementation in the district where the study recommended that the government in collaboration with other stakeholders like World Food Program should timely deliver food and adequate non-food items and conduct regular awareness-raising meetings for community about the program to make them understand better about the SFP to enhance their participation. In addition, study recommends SFP to be expanded to other schools where enrolment is low to promote the enrolment in this drought-prone region