“The Impact of SBFP in Terms of Weight, Absenteeism, Drop out and Academic Performance”

The Department of Education (Dep Ed) through the Bureau of Learners Support Services
– School Health Division (BLSS-SHD) shall implement the School Based Feeding Program (SBFP)
for School Years (SY) 2017 – 2022 to address undernutrition among public school children as
stated at the Dep Ed order 39 s. 2017.
The SBFP covers all Severely Wasted (SW) and Wasted (W) Kindergarten to Grade 6
Pupils for SY 2017 -2018 the program primarily aims to improve the nutritional status of the
beneficiaries by at least 70% at the end of 120 feeding days. Secondarily, it aims to increase
classroom attendance by 85% to 100% and improve the children’s health and nutrition values
and behavior. (DO 39, s. 2017)
Last June 07,2018 in Cacarong Bata Elementary School, we conduct a weighing from
Kindergarten to Grade 6 pupils to determine their nutritional status. We found out that there
are 147 pupils from Kindergarten to Grade 6 pupils are severely wasted and wasted. In the first
quarter of July we start our School-Based Feeding program. Prior to the feeding activity, we
conduct deworming with the consent of the parent. Before the month of August end, we
conduct again a weighing to those who are severely wasted and wasted pupils. And 85%
percent or 125 pupils out of 147 pupils increase their weight at least 5% - 10%. School-Based
Feeding Program helps to lessen malnutrition in our school. It also helps to boost the
attendance of the beneficiaries.
There is a present coaction between school meals on one hand and grade learning
repetition as well as learning achievement and school performance. This two effects works in
two ways. First the school meals improved class attendance, children spend more time learning
in school. So the more time children spend in school, the better they learn and these interplays
ultimately result in improving the school performance, which minimizes the probabilities of
drop-out. This is however dependent on the other factor such as school quality, availability of
learning materials and teacher’s quality. If this properly implemented school feeding has rather
a potential to worsen the drop-outs. Secondly it improves nutrition that can enhance school
retention and performance in the short and over long run. In the short run, school meals could
lessen hunger and make children concentrate and learn better so that school performance will
be improved and hence drop out is minimized. In the long run, school meals could enhance
learning provided that the school meals improved the nutritional status of children and if
nutritional status also affect learnings. After 120 days of feeding program, we expect that 100%
of the severely wasted and wasted meet the right nutritional status for them.