School Feeding Programme Strategies, Monitoring and Evaluation Practices, and Learner Participation in Public Primary Schools in Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish how school feeding programme strategies, monitoring and evaluation practices influence learner participation in public primary schools in Makueni County, Kenya. Seven objectives guided the study: to establish how provision of nutrition meals influence learner participation, to determine how nutrition education influences learner participation, to examine how regular provision of meals during school days influences Learner participation, to assess how smallholder farmers’ engagement influences learner participation, to establish how combined School Feeding Programme strategies influence learner participation and, to assess how Monitoring and Evaluation practices influence learner participation, to assess the moderating influence of monitoring & evaluation practices on the relationships between School Feeding Programme strategies and learner participation. A correlation research design and a descriptive survey were used. Out of the 875 people in the target population, a sample size of 275 was selected. A structured interview guide closed and open-ended questionnaire were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The outcomes were: There is no significant association between Provision of nutrition Meals and learner participation was rejected(P-value < 0.05) from learners’ view but was not rejected (P-value > 0.05) as per the Headteachers, Teachers and Chairpersons Board of Management, there is no significant correlation between nutrition education and learner participation was rejected (P-value < 0.05) from learners’ view but was not rejected (P-value > 0.05) as per the Headteachers, Teachers and Chairpersons -Board of Management view, there is no significant association between regular provision of meals in school days and learner participation was rejected (P-value < 0.05) from learners’ view but was not rejected (P-value > 0.05) as per the Headteachers, Teachers and Chairpersons- Board of Management view, there is no significant affiliation amongst the combined school feeding programme strategies and learner participation was rejected(P-value < 0.05) from learners’ view but was not rejected (P-value > 0.05) as per the Headteachers, Teachers and Chairpersons- Board of Management view, there is no significant correlation amongst Monitoring & Evaluation practices and learner participation was rejected from both learners’ view, Head Teachers, Teachers and Chairpersons - Board of Management views (P value < 0.05), and there is no significant moderating influence of monitoring and evaluation Practices on relationships between school feeding programme strategies & learner participation was rejected (P-value < 0.05) from both learners’ view and as per the Headteachers, Teachers and Chairpersons- Board of Management view. The study concluded there were significant relationships among school feeding programme strategies, monitoring and evaluation practices, and learner participation in Makueni county government primary schools.