Battling Difficulties in Implementing School-Based Feeding Program: Alternative Ways for Sustainability

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Malnutrition is a worldwide health concern. Government and non-government organization (GO and NGOs) geared their efforts in various interventions that could lessen and alleviate children's suffering from malnutrition.

Feeding programs are common in public schools where malnourished students are beneficiaries. However, these programs last only for a few months or equivalent to 120 days due to financial constraints and delayed funds.In this study, the researcher sought to identify the status of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) in Banaba Elementary School, the difficulties encountered by the School Head and the feeding Coordinator in financial matters, and the proposed sources of funds as alternative feeding funds while it is still on-going.

METHODS

The study employed a descriptive quantitative research design to identify the status of the SBFP or the School-Based Feeding Program in Banaba Elementary School.

The researcher used a self-formulated and self-administered interview questions based on the difficulties encountered by the School Head and the Feeding Coordinator in the SBFP in terms of financial matters and the proposed sources of funds for their financial needs. The researcher utilized an interview to collate data on the status of the School-Based Feeding Program in Banaba Elementary School, the difficulties encountered by the School Head and the Feeding Coordinator in the SBFP in terms of financial matters, and the proposed sources of funds for their financial needs.

An open-ended questionnaire was utilized in identifying the difficulties encountered by the School Head and the Feeding Coordinator in the SBFP in terms of financial matters and the proposed sources of funds to gather the financial needs.

RESULTS

The principal, as well as the feeding coordinator, identified that 52 out of 328 pupils of Banaba Elementary School were included in the feeding program during the school year 2017 -2018. They were given free lunch to improve their nutritional status. The difficulties encountered by the principal and the feeding coordinator were determined as 1) the late release of the SBFP budget, and 2) the numerous SBFP beneficiaries.

DISCUSSIONS

Strengthening the ways to raise funds or necessary ingredients for the School Feeding Program is much needed.