THE ROLE OF GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME ON ENROLMENT, ATTENDANCE, AND RETENTION AMONG SOME SELECTED SCHOOLS IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

The purpose of the study was to examine the role the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has on enrolment, retention and attendance of children in some selected beneficiary Basic Schools in the Tamale Metropolis. Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) was introduced in the year 2005 as part of the government’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which is to reduce hunger and malnutrition among school pupils, increasing school enrolment, attendance, and retention at the basic school level byserving as a magnet that will attract school children to be in school every day and be consistent throughout the stages of learning. However, there are claims and counterclaims of the role of the school feeding programme in Ghana. This study was therefore sought to examine the role of GSFP in pupils enrolment, retention and attendance in the Tamale Metropolis. The research design adopted for the study was a descriptive case study; using the mixed method approach. Convenient and purposive sampling techniques were used to sample study units. Data for the study was collected using questionnaires and interview guide, and analyzed with microsoft excel. The study found that a mean score of 4.33, 4.10 and 4.03 by respondents revealed that GSFP plays a very high role on pupils enrolment, attendance and retention respectively. The study also found that the most main challenge of GSFP, which requires immediate attention, was the payment of caterers for their services with (93.3%), followed by politicization of the programme representing (83.3). The major strategies to help ensure efficiency and effectiveness of GSFP was regular payment of caterers (98.3%), depoliticizing of operations and administration of the GSFP (83.3%) as well as effective supervision (83.3%). The study therefore concludes that the GSFP is a very significant intervention and has the tendency to ensure and produce a literate society. Hence it is recommended in this study that the government, through MoE should expand and improve school infrastructure for the benefit of all communities.