EFFECTS OF HOME-GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM ON INTERNAL EFFICIENCY OF EDUCATION OF SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN RUTSIRO DISTRICT, RWANDA

Abstract

The study sought to demonstrate the effects of Home School Feeding (HGSF) program under World Food Programme (WFP) on internal efficiency of education of selected primary schools in Rutsiro Ditrict. The study was guided by a main objective which is to assess the effects of HGSF program under WFP on internal efficiency in selected primary schools in Rutsiro, and the specific objectives were to find out the effect of HGSF program on students’ attendance, to determine the effect of HGSF program on students’ academic performance and to highlight the obstacles facing schools having implemented HGSF program. In 2016, both Rutsiro District and WFP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for HGSF program for combating hunger in some public primary schools, and this would consequently increase school attendance and improve students’ academic performance, the study thus came to reveal the extent to which the objective of that MoU has been achieved. The study used mixed research design where convergent parallel mixed research design was adopted. The target population 509 including 3 head teachers/ deputy head teachers, 29 primary teachers, 471primary five students and 6 five parents. A sample of 3 head teachers/ deputy head teachers, 27 teachers, 216 students and 6 parents were selected using simple random sampling and the head teachers were included in the study purposively. Questionnaires were used to collect data from head teachers/ deputy head teachers and teachers, while semi structured interview was used to collected data from students and parents. Documents’ analysis was also used to get the success rate of students before and after the implementation of HGSF program. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyze quantitative data, thematic approach was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings from data analysis revealed that, in the selected primary schools there were effects of HGSF program on students’ attendance where the students’ attendance rate increased from 96.2% to 97.8%, and on students’ academic performance where the students’ academic performance rate raised from 77.6 to 80.2%. The findings also revealed that 71.4% of school leaders faced various challenges in implementing HGSF program. Based on the findings, in spite of the obstacles faced by implementers of the program, HGSF program improved internal efficiency of education in the selected primary schools. It was recommended that Ministry of education and other affiliated agencies should monitor the implementation of the program. Future researchers were recommended to carry out the similar research in other Districts and even in public secondary schools to find out the effects of school feeding program on the internal efficiency of education.