European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

STATUS OF SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMME IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CALABAR MUNICIPALITY, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Chabo Joy Awu U.* and Ejemot-Nwadiaro Regina Idu

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This paper sought to assess the status of school feeding programme in secondary schools in Calabar, Cross River State in relation to the School Health Programme implementation guidelines. Methodology: Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study employed the descriptive survey design. The multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select a total of 314 SS2 students, 100 teachers and 20 principals from 20 schools (10 public and 10 private) and 2 policy makers to make up the sample size of 436. A well validated questionnaire, key informant interview guides and observation checklist developed by the researchers were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from respondents. Results: The two hypotheses formulated were tested with Population and independent t-test. The results of data analysis were presented in tables and figures. The results of the study revealed that a significant difference exist between the School Health Programme implementation guidelines and the school feeding programme in schools (P = 0.000) and that school ownership does not significantly influence the implementation of school feeding programme (P = 0.329 and 0.678). The school feeding programme was observed to have suffered great deprivation because only one (5%) school (private) was observed to be serving school lunch, only 3 (15%) schools (one public and 2 private) had school canteens, as much as 8 (40%) schools (all public schools) were patronizing indiscriminate hawkers and only 7 (35%) schools (3 public and 4 private) were conducting regular inspection of foods sold by vendors. Recommendations: The state government should take the bull by the horn and launch the school meal programme in the state and ensure its implementation in all public schools as a model for the private schools owners to follow suit. All schools should form school health committees whose duty will be to look into the modalities for the effective implementation of school meal programme.

Keywords: School health programme, school meal/feeding programme, implementation guidelines.