An Evaluation on how school feeding programmes can enhance academic success among students. The case of Wayerera secondary school

Abstract

The study aimed to design an intervention on how school feeding programmes can enhance academic success among students. Its objectives were threefold firstly, to examine how school feeding programmes influence students’ concentration and classroom participation, to explore the perspectives of beneficiaries on the impact of school feeding programmes on academic success and to propose an intervention model that strengthens scholastic achievement through feeding initiatives. The study is anchored in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the study recognized that meeting students’ physiological and safety needs through consistent nutrition is a prerequisite for higher order outcomes such as learning, self esteem, and self actualization. A qualitative case study design was adopted, with purposive sampling selecting teachers, students, and caregivers as participants. Data were collected through in depth interviews and focus group discussions, guided by semi structured instruments. Findings revealed that while school feeding programmes improved attendance and reduced hunger, their academic impact was constrained by socio economic deprivation, inconsistent meal provision, weak infrastructure, and limited financing. Participants emphasized that poverty and inadequate resources undermined sustainability, leaving students vulnerable to poor concentration and reduced performance. The study concludes that sustainable academic success requires a feeding model that prioritizes nutritional equality, diversified financing, infrastructure development, and holistic interventions. Recommendations urge policymakers, educators, and communities to integrate school feeding into child development frameworks, advancing inclusive interventions aligned with Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 strategy and the Ubuntu philosophy of collective responsibility