Effects of the school feeding programme
The authorities of Ghana has recognized basic instruction as a cardinal edifice block of the economic system. This measure is in line with end two of the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ) which seeks to accomplishing a cosmopolitan primary instruction by the twelvemonth 2015 ( Ghana MDG Report, 2009 ) . Besides, in congruity with GPRS II ( GPRS, 2006 ) , Article 38 of the 1992 fundamental law enjoins authorities to supply entree to Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education ( fCUBE ) to all kids of school traveling age ( Constitution of Ghana, 1992 ) . In pursuit of this demand, a figure of programs and programmes have been launched with the authorities shiping upon several educational reforms and establishing new policy steps toward doing instruction more accessible to all. These include the fCUBE programme, instruction strategic program, the capitation grant ; which makes basic school free from any signifier of school fees and the NEPAD School Feeding Programme ( SFP ) ( ESP, 2003 ) .
It is of import to observe that entree to instruction is non an terminal in itself, but a means to an terminal. The terminal consequences of the instruction procedure is that it should interpret into quality human capital/resource for the province as the GPRSII envisions, hence, the ardor of authoritiess to put in the instruction of their people.
The capitation grant by and large should ensue in higher registration and keeping in schools. The school feeding plan complements this by supplying for the students nutritionary demands and heightening their acquisition capablenesss. All these should interpret into higher public presentation by students and for that affair, the production of quality human resource required for province development.
It should be noted that, before the debut of the authoritiess ‘ school eating programme, the Catholic Relief Service ( CRS, ) had already instituted the policy of feeding school kids in the territory. This aside, the establishment of the Northern Scholarship Scheme had besides been in topographic point in the territory since the late fiftiess, taking attention of the feeding cost of pupils in Senior High Schools in the territory. These had made important impact on instruction of the country. In fact, many professors and educated elites in the territory owe their current position to these strategies ( Nadowli West District, 2008 )
THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
The debut of the authorities school feeding programme was to supplement other intercessions such as free school uniform and capitation grants. It has since played a important function alongside the other intercessions in bettering both Gross Enrolment Ratio ( GER ) and Net Enrolment Ratio ( NER ) in schools in Ghana. The Upper West Region in general, recorded GER addition of 74.1 % from ( 1991/1992 – 2002/2003 ) , 77.3 % from ( 2002/2003 – 2004/2005 ) and 81.1 % ( 2004/2005 – 2005/2006 ) ( RSER-UWR, 2006 )
Despite the additions in the registration figures, deprived countries in Ghana continue to meet serious troubles in pulling trained instructors ; schoolroom adjustment continues to be a job with entree to instruction and learning stuffs staying a concern to stakeholders. These negatively affect the quality of instruction in these countries including the Nadowli West District.
The rise in enrolment figures with no corresponding addition in the figure of instructors normally lead to disproportionate Pupils-Teacher Ratio ( PTR ) . Overcrowding in schoolrooms besides becomes phenomenal of such state of affairss with increased registration with small attending to the building schoolrooms in response to the increasing Numberss which does non merely sometimes lead to the eruption of diseases but besides affects quality of learning adversely.
This paper therefore intends to measure the effects that the school feeding plan has brought to bear on primary school instruction in the Nadowli West District
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Main Question
What are the effects of the school feeding programme on primary school instruction in the Nadowli West District?
Sub-Questions
How has the SFP affected primary school registration in the territory?
How has the SFP affect pupil keeping in schools in the territory?
What has been its deduction on the PTR?
What have been its effects on schoolrooms and other instruction and acquisition stuffs ( TLM ) ?
Are there lessons for policy preparations?
Research OBJECTIVES
Main Objective
To happen out the effects of the school feeding programme on primary school instruction in Nadowli West District?
Sub-Objectives
To find how the SFP has affected primary school registration in the territory
To look into how the SFP has affected pupil keeping in school
To happen out the deductions of the SFP on PTR
To detect its effects on schoolrooms and TLMs
To pull lessons for policy preparation
Relevance OF THE STUDY
Through findings of the survey, stakeholders will be good informed of the relevancy or otherwise of the SFP on primary instruction in the territory. Positive result will acquire them committed to success and sustainace of the programme. Besides, negative effects of the programme if found will besides be addressed.
Aside functioning as base informations for farther research work on the subject, findings of the survey will assist in policy preparation on the programme.
ORGANIZATION OF THE RESEARCH REPORT
The survey study will be organized into six chapters as follows for clear presentation.
The general debut of the survey will travel into this chapter. The chapter will besides incorporate the job statement, research inquiries and aims, justification of the survey and a brief profile of the survey country.
Chapter two is the reappraisal of literature on the subject. It will seek conceptualizing and specifying issues that relate to the survey and set them in position. It will seek to research and make full spreads in bing literature available on the survey.
Chapter three will analyze the methodological analysis employed in the survey for the aggregation of informations. How informations collected is analyzed and presented will besides be made clear in this chapter.
Findingss of the survey and the treatments on it will be presented in chapter four of the study. This will besides take attention of secondary informations analysis on the survey. Illustrations with tabular arraies, figures charts and diagrams will be made for easier apprehension and reading of findings.
Summaries of findings, decision and recommendations will be presented in the fifth and last chapter of the study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The literature reappraisal aims at researching for countries of understandings and dissensions on the subject. From this, go outing spreads will be identified and attempts made to make full them.
The reappraisal will cover countries like: impact of instruction related intercessions, the history of school eating in Ghana, Ghana instruction policy model, recent instruction related intercessions in Ghana and the SFP ( statements and against ) . See a sample reappraisal below.
Impact of Education Related Interventions: A Review of the Literature
States worldwide are doing good and encouraging advancement towards cut downing the figure of
out-of-school kids. Specifically Sub-Saharan Africa has witnessed an unprecedented 25 %
addition in registration between 1998/99 and 2002/03 ( ADEA, 2007 ) . Countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa have been researching ways of bettering their instruction systems in order to accomplish their
committedness to instruction for all. Guaranting that kids have entree to liberate, compulsory and
good quality primary instruction is having considerable attending from authoritiess and assistance
bureaus likewise. Two chief systems through which certain authoritiess are utilizing to accomplish this
purpose are the abolishment of school fees and the School Feeding Programme. Many surveies have been
conducted on the effects of these systems on instruction results.
Abolition of School Fees and Education Outcomes
Abolition of school fees particularly at the basic instruction degree has been adopted by many
states as one of the key policy intercessions for act uponing instruction results. Fees
charged at schools particularly public schools, have been identified as one of the chief barriers to
instruction entree particularly among the hapless, orphane vitamin D, and vulnerable kids within societies
( USAID, 2007 ) . There are two schools of idea on school fees ‘ abolishment in the literature.
1 This is based on a current exchange rate of GHC1=US $ 1
2
Advocates of School Fees Abolition
The chief statement advanced by advocates of school fees ‘ abolishment is that, school fees and
other direct instruction related costs to households stand for a important obstruction to enrolment
particularly among the hapless and vulnerable families ( USAID, 2007 ) . Abolishing school fees
will hence do it easier and less dearly-won for kids with these disputing backgrounds to
enroll in schools and finally assist in accomplishing some of the instruction related ends within
states.
Malawi represents one of the first states to follow the policy of school fees abolishment. Other
states in Africa that have besides abolished school fees in the 2000s include Lesotho, Kenya,
Tanzania, Zambia ( Al-Sammarra et al. , 2006 ) and Ghana. As a consequence of get rid ofing school fees in
Malawi, registration rates is reported to hold increased dramatically at both the primary and the
secondary degrees and the impact of this increase was really biased in favor of the hapless ( Al-
Samarrai et al. , 2006 and USAID, 2007 ) . Abolition of the school fees in Uganda about led to a
duplicating in enrolment figures in the twelvemonth after the abolishment. Similar additions in registration rates
following school fees abolishment were besides realized in Tanzania in 2001, Lesotho in 2000 and
Cameroon 1999 ( USAID, 2007 ) . Of outermost importance within these enrolment figures are
nrolment rates among the deprived kids ( misss, orphans, and kids in rural countries )
which experienced rapid additions and thereby widening entree to instruction.
Arguments Against School Fees Abolition
The other school of idea against school fees abolition provinces that get rid ofing school fees does
contribute to decrease in the direct cost of instruction but does non needfully cut down the costs to
nothing ( USAID, 2007 ) . There are other costs, aside school fees, that are still borne by families.
These costs include those on transit to and from school, part of families to
building of school edifices and other direction costs, cost of text editions and other
support given to instructors by families. In line with this statement, any intercession should
critically take into consideration the entirety of all these costs borne by families and non merely
school fees.
Abolishing school fees, although identified to hold a positive consequence on registration, may hold a
negative consequence on the quality of instruction ( USAID, 2007 ) . The addition in enrolment figures
following school fees abolishment are more likely to overpower the available supply of schools,
instructors, and instruction stuffs available within schools. In Malawi for case, after the
abolishment of school fees, the ratio of students to classroom increased to 119:1, the ratio of students to
instructors besides increased to 62:1 and the ratio of students to text books increased to 24:1. Similarly,
outgo per-pupil fell about by $ 12 per twelvemonth for primary school pupil s ( USAID,
2007 ) .
In most cases, the rise in enrolment figures ensuing from school fees abolishment is likely to
increase the figure of students per instructor or a phenomenal rise in the figure of freshly recruited
and untrained or hardly trained instructors. This is likely to impact the quality of learning in the
schoolroom.
Anecdotal grounds from Malawi indicates that riddance of school fees reduces the
willingness of communities to supply voluntary support for local schools as local leaders
3
interpret abolishment of school fees as cardinal authorities ‘s premise of full fiscal
duty. Voluntary community support is a really of import part to schools
particularly in the rural and disadvantaged communities.
Education Policy Framework in Ghana
The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana under Article 25 ( 1 ) guarantees the right of all
individuals to equal educational chances and installations by guaranting free, compulsory and
cosmopolitan basic instruction. The proviso under the Constitution besides ensures that secondary and
higher instruction shall be made available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in
peculiar, by progressive debut of free instruction. Functional literacy is besides ensured
under the fundamental law and proviso is made for resourcing schools at all degrees with adequate
installations.
Aside the constitutional commissariats, the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy ( GPRS ) II recognizes
instruction as the key to traveling the state towards a in-between income position by 2015 and as a
consequence, identifies the development of human capital as one the three thematic countries of the program.
Aside taking to run into end 2 of the MDGs, the GPRS II besides aims to beef up the quality of
instruction particularly at the basic degree, better the quality and effic iency in the bringing of
instruction services and bridge the gender spread in footings of instruction entree in the state.
In 2003, the Education Strategic program ( ESP ) based on the Poverty Reduction Strategy came into
force and it covered the period 2003-2005. The Strategic Plan operated within the model of
a sector broad attack ( SWAp ) for instruction and this was situated partially within the multi-donor
budgetary support ( MDBS ) model ( Adam-Issah et al. , 2007 ) . The ESP which provided the
model or roadmap for accomplishing the instruction related MDGs was based on four cardinal countries:
just entree, instruction direction and Science and engineering and Vocational instruction.
There were 10 policy ends to the ESP and this covered increasing entree to and engagement in
instruction and preparation, bettering the quality of instruction and acquisition for enhanced pupil/student
accomplishment, advancing good wellness and environmental sanitation in schools and establishments,
among others.
The Government of Ghana in 2004 came out humor H a White Paper on Education Reforms which
lineations reforms and aims crossing the full instruction sector. This catalogue of reforms
and aims are to be implemented from 2007 and the major marks identified are to be
realized in 2015 and 2020. The White Paper on Education Reform has two cardinal aims. First it
physiques on the committednesss of the ESP every bit good as ensures that high quality instruction is provided
to kids at the basic degree. Second, it aims at guaranting that all 2nd rhythm instruction is
made more inclusive and appropriate to the demands of immature people and the demands of the
Ghanese economic system ( Ministry Of Education Science and Sports [ MOESS ] , 2005 ) .
Under the Government of Ghana White Paper on Education Reform, basic instruction was
expanded to include 2 old ages of kindergarten every bit good as the bing 6 old ages of primary instruction
and 3 old ages of Junior High School instruction. The full basic instruction will go on to be free
and compulsory and will have highest precedence of all sub-sectors. The White Paper besides pledges
the authorities ‘s full support for basic instruction support. The cardinal mark is to make 100
per centum completion rates for both males and females at all basic degrees by 2015.
4
The White Paper in constructing upon the ESP indexs identifies new countries which will ease
the accomplishment of the instruction sector ends. As a consequence, some of the instruction sector marks in
the ESP due to be achieved in the twelvemonth 2015 are set to be achieved earlier in 2012. For case,
in relation to the Greater Accra Region entry into Primary 1, wasoriginally projected to make
100 per centum by 2010 in the ESP, had been revised and was now expected to be achieved in
2006/2007. Besides, Primary 6 completion rate originally expected to make 100 per centum by 2015 is
now expected to be achieved by 2010. Finally, Gross Enrolment for Primary instruction is now
scheduled to make 107.4 per centum by 2012 ( MOESS, 2006 ) .
Recent Education Related Interventions in Ghana
Ghana has been able to do some paces in its instruction system through certain policy
enterprises. These enterprises have ends that have been expressed in policy models and
studies like the GPRS I & A ; II and the Education Strategic Plan ( ESP ) . The Government of Ghana
has besides committed itself to the accomplishment of Universal Primary Education ( MDG 2 ) by
guaranting that by 2015 kids everyplace, male childs and misss likewise, will be able to finish a full
class of primary schooling. The authorities ‘s committedness towards accomplishing the educational
end is reflected in these policy models. In conformity with these models, certain policy
schemes like the capitation grant and the school feeding plan, early childhood development
and gender para were adopted. In conformity with the fundamental law of the Fourth Republic of
Ghana, the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education ( FCUBE ) was implemented.
Equally commendable as this intercession was it has non been able to do the expected impact because of
the cost sharing rules that went with it. Fees and levies were still being charged under the
FCUBE plan. The charging of these fees was thought to be impacting negatively the
attending of school kids at the basic degree. The Ministry of Education hence decided to
implement the Capitation Grant Scheme to increase entree to instruction. The policy of school
fees abolishment in the signifier of giving grants to schools is known as the capitation grant in Ghana.
The Capitation Grant
In recent old ages, there has been a world-wide impulse in which more underdeveloped states are
traveling to prolong and reenforce the renewed advancement toward Universal Primary Education
through bolder, accelerated and scaled schemes. School fees abolishment is going progressively
acknowledged as one of these schemes and as a ke Y step to accomplishing kids ‘s right to
instruction. In position of this, the World Bank and UNICEF in 2005 launched the School Fee
Abolition Initiative which aimed to circulate lessons from the experience of states that
hold abolished fees and supply context -specific advice to states that are seeking to make so.
Experience in several states shows that the private costs of schooling are a major barrier that
prevent many kids from accessing and finishing a quality basic instruction. They are
particularly burdensome in states where poorness imposes tough picks on households and
families about how many and which kids to direct to school, and for how long. School fees
represent a regressive revenue enhancement on hapless households, and the registration of hapless, excluded and
vulnerable kids is really sensitive to fees, even when these are little.
School fee abolishment is non merely about “ tuition fees ” ( which do non needfully represent the chief
majority of fees ) . School fee abolishment must take into consideration the broad scope of the costs of
the history of SFP in Ghana, school registration, PTR in Ghana, the impact of feeding in schools among others.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter examines the methodological analysis that will be employed in the survey for the aggregation of informations. Data analysis techniques and the manner of presentation of findings are both treated here.
Data aggregation tools
Both chance and non chance informations aggregation tools will be employed in the aggregation of primary informations in the survey. Specifically, I will utilize studies, semi-structured interviews and observations. The studies will be used to beg general information from the respondents on their positions on the subject such as on the effects of the SFP on the rate of registration. The studies will besides give quantitative informations.
The interviews will be used to bring forth qualitative, specific and in-depth facts about the survey. The observation will be used addition first manus information on the survey.
Beginnings of informations
The survey will roll up informations from instructors, parents, students, caterers of the programme, and staff from the territory board of directors of instruction.
Secondary beginnings of informations such as newspapers, article and cyberspace beginnings will be made usage of. Records of registration before and during the SFP will besides be used for comparings.
Sampling techniques
The simple random trying technique will be applied to the list of the primary schools in the territory to choose seven of them for the survey. This technique will guarantee that prejudices are minimized every bit much as possible in the choice of the schools. The same technique will be used for the choice of instructors and students for the survey. Questionnaires of the studies will be administered to 100 instructors, 20 students and 30 parents in the territory.
I will besides utilize purposive sampling to roll up informations from five functionaries of the territory instruction board of directors ( the territory manager, the officer in charge of statistics, the planning officer, manager of human resource and a circuit supervisor ) . Seven caterers will besides be surveyed. In all, 162 questionnaires will be administered.
The instruction functionaries, caterers and some of the instructor will besides be interviewed after the studies.
Data analysis and presentation
Qualitative informations collected will be summarized into subjects, analyzed and interpreted by the usage of descriptive techniques. Quantitative information analysis will be done utilizing computing machine programmes like the SPSS.
Tables, charts and graphs would be used to exemplify and present findings for easier apprehension and reading.
TIME FRAME
A upper limit of 11 months will be used for the full research work as indicated in the tabular array below.
Activity
TIME PERIOD
Literature reappraisal
July and August, 2010
Planing questionnaires
September,2010
Data aggregation
October to December, 2010
Datas analysis
January and February, 2011
Report composing
March and April, 2011
Binding and entry
May, 2011
Budget
An estimated sum of One Thousand, One Hundred Ghana Cedis will be required for the research activity. See breakdown in the tabular array below.
Activity
Cost ( GHa‚µ )
Using the cyberspace and purchasing of relevant stuffs for literature reappraisal
60.00
Typing and printing questionnaire
20.00
Data aggregation
50.00
Transportation system
100.00
Communication
50.00
Printing and binding of study
820.00
