Nutrition is one of the basic sciences that underlie a proper understanding of health and human sciences. The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), which is of focus in this regard, is government’s project that responds to problems such as poor nutrition and hunger amongst learners. Originally this programme was designed to provide direct services to primary school learners, to reduce hunger and alleviate the effect of malnutrition on their learning capacity through improvements in the nutritious status of school children. The research on the assessment of the role of NSNP took place at Siyanda SPS in Butterworth. Siyanda SPS was selected because of its geographical location, as it was observed to be one of poverty stricken informal settlement. Key informants for data collection included interviews, direct-observation, content analysis and focus group discussions and photographs. The study provides best practice for implementation of the programme in Yako informal settlement, and encourages local economic development within community members. The study may also add consciousness on matters related to government intervention in human capital development projects, as well as benefiting communities, through initiatives such as employing local women as food preparers and using local food suppliers. The NSNP endow the community with nutritional education, empowering rural dwellers with awareness, and capability to grow their own food. Community members are also well-informed about the benefits of a healthy diet. The NSNP creates chances for learners from underprivileged communities to concentrate better in class, so that they get better results, which possibly will lead to better lifestyles in future.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Needs Education at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2015 / One of the major obstacles to children’s growth and development, including performance in the classroom, is malnutrition. The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) is an effective yet essential means of addressing the learners’ hunger needs on a daily basis, thereby serving as a tool in boosting learner attendance, academic performance, health and nutrition, and the overall prospects for the children’s future. The present study seeks to examine the challenges experienced by learners benefitting from the National School Nutritional Programme in urban primary schools in Empangeni. An in-depth literature study was followed by an empirical investigation based on a qualitative research design employing questionnaires, focus groups and drawings. The sample consisted of learners, educators and the facilitators of the NSNP. The research findings revealed that learners experienced the following challenges: stigma, problems with transport, scheduling of meals, peer pressure and bullying, inadequate resources, the schools’ menu compliance and flexibility, behavioural issues and primary care. The study also proposed a host of possible suggestions and recommendations to improve the nutritional programmes in school for the overall benefit of all learners. Further avenues for research were discussed so that researchers could expand the programme into the future.

In this thesis, I study the effects of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) on the rural areas of Western Cape, South Africa. More precisely I try to find out how the NSNP has affected the families in this rural area and what attitudes that can be found among the two generations of people living and working on wine farms. The reason for this investigation is that NSNP was set up to increase school attendance among children living in an exposed socioeconomic environment, and I wanted to see how much the NSNP affect people’s daily life, with focus on the ones living on/near wine farms in the more rural areas in Western Cape since these areas holds socioeconomic groups that are exposed in the society.  To answer the research questions, I conducted several interviews with both wine farm workers and pupils living on/near a wine farm. But oral history is more than a method! I wanted to look upon the history from a grassroots perspective with a special focus on the working class, ethnic minorities and women´s part in the history.  My theory is based upon the terms Welfare and Social inequality. These two perspectives describe access to labor market, poverty, education and income support. These aspects highlight different forms of social exclusion which wine farm workers and pupils living on/near wine farm lives in.  With these methods I found out that the NSNP plays a crucial part in the lives of those who lives in the rural areas of Western Cape. Many pupils go to school just because their parents want it due to lack of food at home. The government’s purpose of the NSNP, to increase the school attendance can be seen in the answers giving to me during interviews with wine farm workers.

Thesis (M. Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2016 / The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges in implementing the Nutrition Programme at Khomela Primary School in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. A qualitative research was conducted using case study research design method. The Non-probability sampling method was done through purposive sampling method to select Grade 6 and 7 learners and convenient sampling method for teachers and parents. Data collection was done using individual unstructured interviews. Data was analysed using qualitative data analysis method. Four groups of respondents participated in the study: learners group (n=10) giving information on the meal preference; teachers (n=8) managing and administering the Nutrition Programme at school level; parents and food handlers (food handlers n=2, parents n=5). The study focused on the following challenges: management, infrastructure, training, motivation, food safety, quality of food, delivery by suppliers and feeding time as the main challenges of the Nutrition Programme. The findings of the study concluded that there was poor involvement of teachers and parents in the Nutrition Programme. The study also concluded that the aim and principles of the Nutrition Programme were not well understood at Khomela Primary School. The participants also made suggestions on how the Nutrition Programme could be improved effectively. The study suggested that the school had to conduct awareness campaigns of learners, teachers and parents indicating the importance of the Nutrition Programme in schools. The study also concluded that the school had to be provided with modern a kitchen and a school dining hall. Despite the challenges, the Nutrition Programme had a positive impact on the school enrolment. To minimise the challenges of the Nutrition Programme, the study recommends that the principal and the School Governing Body draft a School Nutrition Policy which is in line with the Nutrition Programme guidelines. The Nutrition Policy should cover issues such as management and administration of the Nutrition Programme.

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which principals and school nutrition programme coordinators (nutrition coordinators) manage the responsibility of ensuring that the nutrition programme is implemented at their schools without interfering with the process of teaching and learning. The study includes a literature review and an empirical investigation. The specific knowledge gained from this research may add to the body of knowledge in the field of Education Management and should inform educators, principals, policy makers and individuals concerned with the management of school nutrition programmes on strategies that could be applied in managing the primary school nutrition programme. The data was collected by administering semi-structured interviews and observations. Five public primary school principals and five coordinators from Tembisa on the eastern outskirts of Johannesburg (Gauteng, South Africa) were interviewed. The results showed that the majority of principals and coordinators admitted that the programme enhanced learners’ performance at school, but felt that there were specific challenges in managing the programme. Some of the principals and coordinators experienced the programme as an additional burden to the educators who were already overloaded with curriculum lessons. Most of the schools indicated that feeding time sometimes overlapped with the learners’ class time, due to the large number of learners being served by one food handler. This study recommends that the SGB should reconsider the installation of food preparation facilities at schools. Other mechanisms should be sought to relieve the already overburdened educators from running the programme. Measuring scales should be available at all schools to ensure that the weight of delivered food items agree with the kilograms stated on the delivery invoice. The Department of Education should involve experts when planning the menu to warrant better nutritional value and effective delivery of the school nutrition programme. Regular seminars and workshops should be arranged for food suppliers, programme committee members and food handlers to ensure effective management and implementation of the programme. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This study evaluates the school feeding programme at Magog Primary School. It sets out as its objective to find out how the programme operates and its potential impact on school children, including challenges, if any, and recommends solutions to mitigate the challenges. It was motivated by the need to provide information which could be used as a basis to ensure that the nutritional and educational objectives of the National School Nutritional Programme are achieved. A review of literature demonstrated that, within the developmental framework, the point of view of civil society, government and the academia on the school feeding programmes are a valuable strategy to intervene in the nutritional and cognitive development of learners. It also made it evident that there are diverse views as to whether the School Feeding Programme is achieving its intended objectives. The findings of this study suggest that, although the programme has the potential to improve nutrition and health, enrolment, attendance and cognitive development, there are still some challenges and areas that need to be addressed and improved. These challenges arise as a result of lack of effective monitoring and evaluation, geographical location of the schools and other implementation flaws. The consequences are that the objectives of the National School Nutritional Programme are placed at risk. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

This study evaluates the school feeding programme at Magog Primary School. It sets out as its objective to find out how the programme operates and its potential impact on school children, including challenges, if any, and recommends solutions to mitigate the challenges. It was motivated by the need to provide information which could be used as a basis to ensure that the nutritional and educational objectives of the National School Nutritional Programme are achieved. A review of literature demonstrated that, within the developmental framework, the point of view of civil society, government and the academia on the school feeding programmes are a valuable strategy to intervene in the nutritional and cognitive development of learners. It also made it evident that there are diverse views as to whether the School Feeding Programme is achieving its intended objectives. The findings of this study suggest that, although the programme has the potential to improve nutrition and health, enrolment, attendance and cognitive development, there are still some challenges and areas that need to be addressed and improved. These challenges arise as a result of lack of effective monitoring and evaluation, geographical location of the schools and other implementation flaws. The consequences are that the objectives of the National School Nutritional Programme are placed at risk. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

Thesis (MNutr (Human Nutrition))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / There is convincing evidence linking school feeding to improved educational outcomes. The Primary School Nutrition Programme (PSNP) was first implemented in 1994 and aimed to improve educational outcomes by alleviating short-term hunger and improving school attendance and punctuality. Responsibility for the programme was transferred from the Department of Health (DoH) to the Department of Education (DoE) in 2004 and the name was changed to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) at this time. Previous evaluations of the PSNP / NSNP had reported problems associated with foodservice management and general management aspects of the programme. The study was a cross-sectional, observational investigation of foodservice management and general management practices in primary schools running the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Twenty-three schools were visited to investigate practices at each school relating to compliance with DoE menus and prescribed service time of the meal, the food delivery system and utilities available. The food handling and hygiene training and practices and general management practices linked to the NSNP were investigated. Most of the schools (78%) were using the DoE menus but only half (52%) served the meal at or before 10h00, which is an ongoing problem. Receiving and storage procedures were adequate at most schools. Food quality does not appear to be a problem in the Pietermaritzburg schools. The lack of expiry dates on food packages remains a problem area and should be addressed. Most of the schools had a designated kitchen area but these facilities could be upgraded. Most schools cooked on gas and 35% of schools had no running water in the kitchen. Kitchens should, at least, have hot and cold running water and adequate working space. Most schools reported that they run out of gas during the month. The monthly DoE allocation for gas should be reviewed to ensure schools have enough gas for the whole month. The holding time for cooked food should be kept to a minimum to minimise the risk of food poisoning. Some schools had insufficient plates (26%) and cutlery (35%). Standardised portion sizes were served at 70% of schools and food handlers reported that learners usually finish all the food. Food handlers at 70% of the schools had received training in food safety and hygiene but 26% of these had only received training once. Training was found to be significantly associated with hand washing (p=0.002), clean uniforms (p=0.036) iv and sanitising practices (p=0.035). Training should be provided in short, ongoing sessions. General management aspects of the NSNP remain a problem. Policies and procedures should be drawn up and implemented to provide a minimum standard of operations at schools. Monitoring should be conducted on a regular basis. The NSNP is running reasonably well in Pietermaritzburg. Adhering to prescribed meal times and upgrading kitchen facilities could result in improvements. Food handler training could also be conducted more frequently. General management aspects need to be improved.

DEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / Although on its introduction the focus of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) was to improve health and nutritional status of South African school children, it was put in place to improve school attendance, curb absenteeism and drop-out by children of school going age as a result of hunger and poverty. It was also meant to improve the learning capacity of children since access to nutritious meals has the potential to improve their concentration levels during instructional discourses, which can enhance the quality of educational outcomes. This study explored the views of education stakeholders on the challenges they encountered in implementing the NSNP in achieving its educational goals at two schools in the Vhembe District in South Africa. Specifically, the study investigated how the NSNP influences school access, attendance and participation at schools that are benefiting from the NSNP in an endeavour to establish strategies for improving the quality of schooling. Abraham Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs was applied to explain how children’s basic needs can be a foundation to their educational needs and aspirations. A case study design involving two schools was adopted for the study and the qualitative research approach was employed. Purposive sampling method was employed to select two secondary school principals, ten secondary school class teachers per school, ten learners who were beneficiaries of the NSNP and ten of their counterparts who were not on NSNP per school, and two circuit NSNP officers. Individual and focus group interviews, documentary study and observations were used to collect data, which were analysed thematically. The findings of the study revealed that: the National School Nutrition Programme is a credible strategy for learners from poor backgrounds to access schooling and reduce their school drop-out; there was no clear difference in academic performance between leaners who participated and those who opted out of the Programme; educators felt overwhelmed by administrative work for the feeding programme, which compromised on their co-responsibilities; there were inadequate workshops to equip service providers of the Programme; food was provided under poor hygiene conditions which made some learners to opt out of the Programme; Programme records had inaccurate information. Based on the main study findings, the study recommended that the programme should continue as the majority of learners were benefiting; the Programme should have its own v administrative personnel; there should be regular staff development workshops on the Programme; schools should erect proper infrastructure for food storage and service; a multi- ministerial team of experts from health, education Programme; and all schools that have the Programme should maintain nutrition gardens for provision of fresh food. Finally, for the effective role-taking by duty-bearers for the Programme, the study concluded by recommending a model called the Increasing Achievement Mode for the National School Nutrition Programme.

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which a School Nutrition Programme can catalyse community-based environmental learning and promote food security in the school and the community. This is an interpretive case study of a junior secondary school in the rural Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The school is located in an area characterised by high levels of poverty and under-nutrition. The school’s food garden, a central focus of this study, contributes to the School Nutrition Programme, which falls under the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). The aim of the NSNP is to alleviate poverty in public schools. This case study was conducted by means of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis and field observations. The data set was analysed, firstly, to ascertain if the School Nutrition Programme functions as a community of practise (Wenger, 1998). Thereafter, the data set was analysed to identify the knowledge related to food security and environmental sustainability that is learned and shared in the School Nutrition Programme, and also how such learning took place. The study found that the School’s Nutrition Programme was indeed operating as a community of practice and that it created a platform for sharing explicit and tacit knowledge and skills related to food security and environmental sustainability. The case study also revealed the contextual and experience-based nature of knowledge related to food cultivation.