Impact of School Based Feeding Program on the Academic Performance and Nutritional Status of Grade 4 Pupils

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Education is considered as the tool of the country to improve its economy, but how the government can produce quality education if the students are suffering from malnutrition and nutrient deficiency. Nutrient and Health problems are no longer new in the Philippines especially among children in elementary andsecondary schools both public and private. Both government and non-government organizations launched several feeding programs that can help reduce malnutrition and nutrient deficiency among students. In GAHES, the issue of nutrition and health of childrenhas been of great concern in Grade four. The effects of nutrition and health during this grade level are capable of having long term consequences that can affect a child's history of formal education.

METHODS

This study focuses on the Impact of the School-Based Feeding Program of Gregorio A. Herradura Elementary School in the Improvement of the Academic performance of Grade IV pupils in all learning areas. The respondents of this study are the Grade IV pupils of Gregorio A. Herradura Elementary School. Their academic performance during the second quarter of the school year will be the basis of the researcher since during this period the feeding program is not yet implemented. While the academic performance of the pupils in the fourth grading period after the feeding program implementation will be utilized to compare the previous performances of the pupils before and after the feeding program.

RESULTS

After the 120 days of implementing of the School-Based Feeding Program, this study proved that the SBFP has an impact on the academic performance of all severely wasted Grade IV pupils of Gregorio A. Herradura Elementary School for the school year 2016-2017.

DISCUSSIONS

The study shows that all students increased in nutritional status and the majority had their exam scores improved as a basis for academic performance. A school feeding program is essential to provide a balanced diet to grade 4 children which would, in turn, enable the children to increase their attention span, hence better academic achievement in this study. Nutrition and health are powerful influences on a child's learning and how well a child performs in school. When a person is healthy, the brain is functioning on its maximum potential which is necessary for acquiring knowledge and proper development for children.