Pupils thrive with meals at school

SCHOOL nutrition programmes, especially those that provide children with breakfast, have a significant impact on the health and academic performance of children, an Eastern Cape focused study by the Centre for Social Development in Africa found.

The study, performed by a team of researchers, was based in Lady Frere and Qunu.

They traced the health and academic performance of children receiving breakfast from a private sector initiative and the school nutrition scheme meal in the afternoon.

Researchers said the improvement in statistics again highlighted that the children at greatest risk of malnutrition were those who were not yet in school.

The research was published in 2016.

The main findings were:

● Children receiving both meals had significantly lower levels of stunting (between 6.5% and 9%) than the national average (13%);

● Children receiving only the school nutrition scheme meal had a higher rate of stunting (14.5%) than the national average but still lower than the Eastern Cape average (23%);

● Researchers saw a reduction in overweight pupils who ate the school nutrition meal; and

● Children who received both meals performed the best academically.

Nombulelo Zweni, a caretaker at Lukhanyo Creche in Airport Valley, said it broke her heart to see the children arrive at her creche in the morning, especially after a weekend.

“They can’t focus. They have no energy. Then we give them porridge and you see their energy come back. There is a definite improvement,” she said.

Blommie Notothiso, from Penguins Learn & Care Centre in Walmer Township, said she received donations of porridge to feed children.

Normoyle Primary School principal Janine Barlow believes good nutrition extensively contributes to better grades.

Children at her school are fed twice a day. Said Barlow: “We also equip the parents. The department of social development comes over, as do students of Nelson Mandela University, and we teach them how to feed the children.”