Challenges Facing the Implementation of the School Feeding Programme in Public Primary Schools in Ileje District, Tanzania

Abstract

School feeding programmes are widely credited with improving enrolment, attendance and learning, yet their implementation in low-income settings remains uneven. Drawing on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this study analysed the challenges facing the implementation of the school feeding programme in public primary schools in Ileje District, Songwe Region, Tanzania. Working within a pragmatic paradigm, the study adopted a mixed-methods approach and a convergent descriptive survey design. Questionnaires were administered to 200 teachers, selected through simple random sampling, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 school food management committee members, selected purposively, giving 235 participants in total. Quantitative data were analysed using means and standard deviations in SPSS version 28; qualitative data were analysed thematically. Teachers identified low parental participation (M = 3.69, SD = 1.380), poor quantity of food (M = 3.66, SD = 1.372) and unaffordable food prices (M = 3.60, SD = 1.503) as the leading challenges, with lack of effective supervision (M = 3.49, SD = 1.607) and poor quality of food (M = 3.46, SD = 1.322) rated marginally above the agreement threshold. The dispersion of responses was substantial across all five items, indicating that implementation varies considerably between schools rather than failing uniformly. Committee members’ accounts converged on parental participation but added two dimensions that the questionnaire did not measure: logistical and operational constraints, particularly food storage and kitchen infrastructure, and shortages of cooks, programme managers and health educators. The study concludes that the binding constraint in Ileje is not the absence of a national policy framework but the reliance of that framework on household contributions that many parents are unable or unwilling to sustain. Diversifying programme financing, investing in basic storage and preparation facilities, and strengthening transparent communication with parents are recommended.