RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME, ENROLMENT AND RETENTION RATE AMONG PUPILS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The research examined the relationship between school feeding programme, enrolment and retention rate among pupils in primary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria. The research used descriptive survey design. The research constituted all teachers in public primary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT Abuja. The instrument used for data collection was self-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was titled: Socio-School Feeding Programme, Enrolment and Retention Rate Questionnaire (SFPERQ). The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to analyze the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results of the findings revealed that school feeding programme improve pupil’s enrolment rate in primary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, Federal Capital Territory Abuja; Finding found that school feeding programme facilitate the ability for pupils to play a supportive role in classroom lesson in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja; and finding revealed that challenges such as (poor supervision and monitoring, corruption, lack of data for planning and evaluation, insufficient fund, shortage of food supply, lack of teachers and head master support, inadequate community support, poor government commitment and delay in disbursement of fund) of school feeding programme in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja. The study therefore, recommends that government at all levels to ensure that sufficient disbursement of fund for the school feeding programme in order to accommodate and increase the enrolment rate of pupils in rural and urban and urban areas in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja.