ABSTRACT

The study examined the assessment of home-grown school feeding programme and the anthropometric status of the beneficiaries in Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State. However, the general objective of this study was to assess  the   homegrown school feeding programme and anthropometric status of the beneficiaries in Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used to analyse the data obtained in the study and World Health Organisation Anthroplus was used in the analysis of the children’s nutritional status data. Results were presented in frequency and percentages. Result on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries revealed that 4.2% of mothers had no formal education, 18.6% had primary education, 56.7% had secondary education and 20.5 had tertiary education while 10.3% of fathers had no formal education, 23.9% had primary education, 51.7% had secondary education and 14.1 had tertiary education. Anthropometric status of the children revealed that 89.0% of the male and 90.7% of the female children had a possible growth problem with the BMI for Age indicator. Majority, (92.9%) of the male and 93.7% of the female had a normal height in comparison with their respective age. A number of total of 58.5% of the female children were overweight while 42.6% of the male were overweight. The results of the dietary diversity of the pupils showed that 360 (100%), 323 (89.7%) legumes and nuts, dairy 167 (46.4%) products, 201 (55.8%) animal flesh, 102 (28.3%) eggs, 108 (30%) vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables, 329 (91.4%) other fruits and vegetables, the results indicated that most of the pupils eat adequately by varying their diet. Results on the effect of home- grown school feeding programme on academic performance of the pupils showed that 261(72.5%) strongly agreed that there have been an improvement in both curricular and extra-curricular performance of the pupils while 99 (27.5%) agreed. Also, 231(64.2%) agreed, 112(31.1%) strongly agreed while 17(4.7%) were undecided that the school feeding programme have enabled pupils to begin to think effectively in the class during lesson. The assessment of  the home-grown school feeding programme showed that  whole grain was the major source of food supply (59.2%), followed by legumes (30.3%),fruits and vegetables (3.8%) and animal product (6.7%). It was revealed that there were an increment in the enrolment of boys 2015/2016 to 2016/2017 (32%), 2016/2017 to 2017/2018 (19%) and 2017/2018 to 2018/2019 (19%) and also there was an increment in the enrolment of girls from 2015/2016 to 2016/2017 (28%), 2016/2017 to 2017/2018 (11%) and 2017/2018 to 2018/2019 (86%). Thus, it was concluded that Home- Grown School Feeding Programme is one of the influential factors of pupils’ academic performance and pupils’ enrolment and retention.