Ghana School Feeding Programme Research Articles

Contribution of Ghana’s School Feeding Programme On Enrollment and Academic Performance of Public Basic Schools. A Case of Students in West Mamprusi Municipality

The study's goal was to determine how the Ghana School Feeding Programme affected basic school education. The study primarily examined the impact of the Ghana School Feeding Programme on the enrollment and academic performance of students in basic school. Mixed methods approach was used in the examination of some selected basic schools in Ghana's North Eastern Region, West Mamprusi Municipality that were participating in the Ghana School Feeding Programme. For the purpose of this study, teachers, head teachers and students were involved. 2,028 students formed the study population, and 200 students were chosen at random to represent the sample size. To create the sample size, twelve (12) teachers/head teachers in all were purposively chosen. The major research instrument used was questionnaire, supported by interview. The reliability of the instruments was evaluated using the tests-retest approach. The test-retest correlation coefficient demonstrated the validity and reliability of the questionnaires. The study discovered that the Ghana School Feeding Programme was a crucial and important factor determining enrollment and academic performance of students in basic education in the study schools. The study's findings indicate that the Ghana School Feeding Programme is still vital to the achievement of fundamental education and that every effort should be made to broaden its structures and purview for the good of all schools. Consequently, it is advised that the implementation committees at the Municipality should continue to monitor the quality and quantity of the daily meals provided for students in order to reduce hunger and enhance enrollment, concentration and performance in classrooms. Meals must also be nutritionally balanced and provided on time.

Quietly bearing the brunt of austerity in school: A qualitative study into children's experiences of food insecurity in Ghana

AbstractThe dominant food security literature that reports on children's experiences of food insecurity rely on adult/parent proxies. Nevertheless, studies have shown that adult narrations of children's experiences might not always accurately reflect children's experiences. Furthermore, other studies have also shown that in many cases, children are the best reporters of their experiences. Against this background, this paper sets out to explore, from school children's own perspectives, their lived experiences of food insecurity in school under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). This research is important because the latest round of austerity programmes in Ghana has compelled the service providers of the GSFP to resort to several coping strategies (such as rationing services, compromising the quality and quantity of meals served, and occasionally skipping service delivery) which can have significant effects on children's nutrition. Findings from group discussions and one‐on‐one semi‐structured interviews with 21 primary school children aged 8 to 15 highlight school children's experiences of food insecurity. By exploring children's experiences of food insecurity in school, this paper presents evidence that shows that research about children's experiences can and should be based on children's accounts and not adult proxies.

The politicisation of social programmes: insights from Ghana’s school feeding programme

ABSTRACT The dominant discourses on the politicisation of social policy in the Global South mainly focus on analysing the effects of clientelism through the lens of voting behaviour or electoral outcomes. This paper goes beyond the dominant voting behaviour lens by arguing that the effects of political clientelism go well beyond the scope of electoral outcomes. Using qualitative data from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the paper shows how the programme is used to reward loyal party supporters through the partisan award of service delivery contracts. Further, the paper demonstrates how this politicisation of the programme ultimately leads to a de facto system of no supervision and monitoring of the activities of frontline service providers, undercutting the goals of the GSFP in the long run.

‘We are Hungry but We Won’t Eat the Food’: Schoolchildren’s ‘Thin’ agency and its impacts on the implementation of Ghana’s School Feeding Programme

AbstractFollowing the introduction of the concept of agency by the New Sociology of Childhood, the concept has dominated discourses about children's everyday lives. Nevertheless, little is known about schoolchildren's agency in their daily interactions with the service providers of Ghana's school feeding programme. Through this qualitative study, the paper provides empirical evidence to show how children in restrictive contexts exercise ‘thin’ agency in their interactions with frontline service providers, leading to significant improvements in the quality of services delivered to them. Consequently, the article questions Michael Lipsky's assumption that clients have minimal effect on the services delivered to them.

Discretion on the frontlines of the implementation of the Ghana School Feeding Programme: Street‐Level Bureaucrats adapting to austerity in northern Ghana

AbstractGhana's economy faltered in 2012, culminating in the country requesting a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Typical of IMF financial assistance, the approval of this bailout was hinged on the government agreeing to implement some conditionalities. In fulfilment of the IMF conditionalities, the government in 2015 adopted fiscal austerity. Using Michael Lipsky's Street‐Level Bureaucrat conceptual framework, this paper investigates the implications of Ghana's fiscal austerity programme for the implementation of the country's school feeding programme. Specifically, the paper examines the coping strategies adopted by the service providers to endure the challenges of delivering the programme within the climate of austerity. The findings highlight how financial challenges can lead to inadequate service delivery, as the service providers adopt a host of discretionary practices such as compromising the quality of meals served, the delivery of cheaper‐to‐prepare diets and an inconsistent service delivery regime.

THE IMPACT OF GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME ON GIRLS’ ENROLMENT AND ATTENDANCE IN ST. CECILIA PRIMARY ‘A’ SCHOOL, SOMBO IN WA MUNICIPALITY

This study seeks to assess the impact of Ghana’sSchool Feeding Programme on girls’ enrolment and attendance in St. Cecilia Primary ‘A’, Sombo in the Wa Municipality. Using a mixed design strategy, primary data were obtained from the Chairperson of Ghana School Feeding Programme Implementation Committee, Head Teacher and Teachers in St. Cecilia Primary ‘A’, Sombo, Girl Students and Parents of school girls in St. Cecilia Primary ‘A’, Sombo in the Wa Municipality. The result indicated that the programme has influence girls’ enrolment and attendance in St. Cecilia Primary ‘A’, Sombo. The Ghana School Feeding Programme was implemented in 2012 in the school. Besides, the meal provided for the girl students cuts down household expenditure on education for girls. The programme also reduces the incidence of sexual activities among girls. This occurs through its effects of reducing short term hunger that pushes girls into sexual activities to get money and buy food during school hours. Moreover, the programme motivated parents to enroll and keep their girls in the school by generating direct or indirect livelihood sources for them. By empowering parents and providing meals for girls during school socio-economic challenges such as poverty and sexual harassment which affects girls’ enrolment in the school hasbeen minimized. The study recommends that the management of the programme should give special attention togirls in the school. Strong collaboration among key stakeholders is also recommended to support the school feeding programme. Keywords:Ghana School FeedingProgramme, Girl’s Enrolment, Girls Attendance, St. Cecilia Primary ‘A’, Sombo, Wa Municipality.

Evaluation of acquisition and storage of food under the Ghana school feeding programme in the Wa and Cape Coast cities

This research was designed to evaluate how foodstuffs are acquired and stored prior to meal preparation under the Ghana School Feeding Program in Wa and Cape Coast schools. A crosssectional and descriptive survey research design was used in the study. A purposive and simple random sampling technique was employed in selecting 120 participants computed with Graph pad prism version 16, statistical software. Information was obtained using questionnaire, observation and unstructured interview instruments. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science software version 22. Findings revealed that most schools did not have food storage places. This situation may force kitchen staff to keep the food ingredients in their homes and bring them when they need. Kitchens were mostly shed and firewood was mostly used as cooking fuel. It was observed that some of the caterers bought some food ingredients from hawkers who found their ways to the school compounds. Almost all the kitchen staff (97.3% for Wa and 100.0% for Cape Coast) buy from the open market and not the farm gate. This has resulted in food insecurity in some of the regions. Owing to the findings, it was recommended that government should enact policies for all caterers to buy directly from the farm gate at cheaper prices; designated and well-built kitchens, as well as dining rooms, be provided for schools.

Food Hygiene Practices at the Ghana School Feeding Programme in Wa and Cape Coast Cities.

Objective The integrity and the wholesomeness of the food served to school pupils cannot be overlooked, especially when one considers the magnitude of health and sanitation issues that are plaguing the West African nations. This study aimed to investigate some of the personal hygiene practices by the pupils and the hygienic conditions in which food is cooked and served to these school-going children under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Design A cross-sectional and descriptive survey research designs were used in the study. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed in selecting participants. Participants. There were 720 respondents for the study, comprising 600 pupils, 60 teachers, and 60 kitchen staff members from 20 schools. Information was obtained using questionnaire, observation, and unstructured interview instruments. Results Findings from the study revealed that the majority of pupils (92% in Wa and 65% in Cape Coast) did not wash their hands with soap under running water. No hand washing centers for pupils were also seen in most of the schools studied. Majority of the cooks did not have health certificate, and neither had attended any in-service training in two years. In both Wa and Cape Coast municipal schools, none of the kitchen staff admitted that pupils and teachers ever complained about the meals they served to the pupils. Conclusion The GSFP in basic schools forms part of the integral diet of the school children; hence, provision of good quality food can affect the health, learning, and physical activities of these children. Observational checklist revealed that most of the kitchen staff do not strictly adhere to basic food hygiene practices, and this affects the wholesomeness of the food served to the children. There is, therefore, a need for kitchen staff training on hygiene and food preparation practices.

Ghana’s school feeding programme in perspective: A case study of the Akuapem North Municipality in the Eastern Region

This study identifies the successes and challenges of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), and compares pre and post- academic performance of pupils in some selected schools in the Akuapem North Municipality of Ghana. Questionnaires and interviews were used to solicit information from respondents. The study revealed that the introduction of the GSFP in the Akuapem North Municipality has led to an increase in enrollment, retention and attendance of pupils in the beneficiary schools as well as improvement in the pupils’ health status. However, there has not been any significant improvement in the academic performance of the pupils within the Municipality. The study recommends that efforts should be made by stakeholders to increase the number of teachers and expand the educational infrastructure to accommodate the increasing school enrollment.Keywords: Akuapem North Municipality; Ghana School Feeding Programme; academic performance; community participation.

The Impact of the Ghana School Feeding Programme on School Enrolment, Retention and Attendance in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

This study was conducted to assess the impact of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) on school enrolment, retention and attendance in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The Cross-sectional survey design was employed for the study. The study was carried out in 10 beneficiary and 10 non-beneficiary schools. Data were collected through administration of questionnaire to 73 teachers, interview with 9 head-teachers, 9 caterers and the coordinator of the GSFP in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal. Secondary data that covered school enrolment and attendance were also obtained from records of the selected beneficiary and non-beneficiary schools. The data collected were analyzed using various descriptive and inferential analysis with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 23 programme. The findings revealed that the GSFP was fairly effective through basic practices. The GSFP practices in the selected schools involved provision of one hot meal daily to pupils in public basic schools, serving nutritious and assorted meals (e.g., rice, beans, vegetables, eggs etc.) and feeding pupils under good sanitary environment. The results also showed that enrolment in all the classes were higher in the beneficiary schools than the non-beneficiary schools. With attendance however, the findings revealed that beneficiary schools had a little higher attendance in all the classes but class 2 with the non-beneficiary schools recorded higher attendance. Further analysis revealed that the difference in both enrolment and attendance between the beneficiary and non-beneficiary schools were not statistically significant. The effectiveness of the GSFP was however found to have significant impact on school enrolment and retention but not on attendance. The study further revealed challenges facing the GSFP including untimely and late release of funds to schools and caterers, the absence of kitchens in some schools for the preparation of food, poor storage facilities in the schools, low level of community involvement in the programme, persistent political interference, poor linkage between farmers and the GSFP and insufficient classrooms and furniture to cope with increased enrolment. The study recommends that the management of the programme ensures adequate and timely release of funds for the GSFP, Provides Storage Facilities and Strengthens the Linkage between Farmers and the GSFP.

A systematic review of the impact of Ghana’s school feeding programme on educational and nutritional outcomes

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (SFP) was introduced in 2005 to improve educational and health outcomes. Due to the role the intervention has played in meeting its objectives, the review was conceived to assess the impact of the intervention on anthropometric, behavioural, cognitive, and health and nutritional outcomes. A systematic review search for non-experimental and quasi-experimental studies was conducted on different databases, websites and reference lists of selected studies. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included in the review. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and they report on the role of Ghanaian’s school feeding programme as an intervention that the government is using to improve educational and health outcomes of beneficiaries. Different evaluation methods were used to assess the impact of SFP, six studies used post study design, only one study adopted Difference-in-Differences (DID) technique, five studies used a pre-post study, two studies embraced a cross-sectional study and one study adopted comparative analysis. Outcomes measured by the studies include enrolment, attendance, retention and academic performance. Others are wasting, thinness and stunting. Supporting evidence shows that the school feeding programme improved educational and health outcomes. However, the evidence of food for education on cognitive development was weak. Food for education is a social safety net that stakeholders in developing countries are using to encourage pupil enrolment, attendance and the improvement of academic performance. While the intervention played a pivotal role in these regards, there were other challenges that affected the intervention in achieving its main objective.Keywords: attendance, enrolment, Ghana, retention

Nutritional quality of meals served under the Ghana school feeding programme at the Upper West and Central Region of Ghana

This research evaluated the nutritional quality of meals that were served to school children under the Ghana School Feeding Programme in Wa and Cape Coast. A cross-sectional and descriptive survey research designs were employed from which purposive and simple random sampling technique was adopted. In all, a total of 720 respondents were selected and that comprised 600 pupils, 60 teachers and 60 kitchen staff. Data were also obtained using questionnaire, observation and unstructured interview instruments. The data were then analysed with database and statistical software such as SPSS, ESHA, FNPD and USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Qualitatively, the findings revealed that meals served in the schools had most of the needed food nutrients. However, the mean daily nutritional values intake of the pupils in the schools in both studied areas did not meet the recommended nutrient intake value. It is therefore recommended that the government should enhance the nutritional quality of the meals served to the pupils by supplying vitamin supplements. Again, the government should consult experts in food and nutrition in each region to redraw menu which has nutritional benefits from locally grown foods. Key words: Variety of food, recommended nutrient intake, nutrients, leafy vegetables.

Incentivising smallholder farmer livelihoods and constructing food security through home-grown school feeding: evidence from Northern Ghana

Globally, a new school feeding paradigm is emerging; one that incentivises smallholder farmers’ access to reliable markets and boosts their incomes. Drawing on the Ghana School Feeding Programme and Netherlands Development Organisation’s (SNV) Grain Banks initiative, this paper finds that besides accounting for about half of households’ farm income, the grain banks approach has a strong potential for boosting farm households food security.

National School Lunch Nutrition and Cost Profile: A Case Study of the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

Numerous governments in developing countries institute school lunch programs or school feeding programs as a strategy to address high malnutrition and low education rates among children. In 2005, the Ghanaian government launched the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). The GSFP policy does not document (1) the actual meal and associated nutrient profile received by the student, (2) the cost of the meal ingredients to the caterer who prepares the food, nor (3) the recipe derivations that may supply an enhanced nutritional profile. We address these 3 information gaps by employing a detailed case study of 4 caterers supplying a traditional tomato stew recipe in northern Ghana within GSFP-supported school lunch programs. Specifically, we explore the following propositions: (1) GSFP caterers can deliver a school lunch for under 100 pesewas (1 GH¢ or $0.21 USD) per student; (2) the meal meets the recommended daily allowance for protein; (3) soy can serve as a cost-effective ingredient to fortify the meal in terms of protein level and protein quality; and (4) significant differences exist in the macro- and micronutrient profile due to caterer discretion. We answer the above 4 propositions, and by doing so show the importance of accurately measuring the nutritional content, costs, and quantities of the actual school lunch under study. Second, among our results, we show the economy of locally produced soy flour as an ingredient that can lower costs and raise nutrition when substituting for other locally produced proteins such as ground beef and mackerel.

Issues and Challenges of Ghana School Feeding Programme in the KEEA Municipality Ghana

Ghana as a developing country embraces formal education is pivotal in its development agenda. Furtherance to this agenda, Ghana was among the first ten developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement a School Feeding Programme using the NEPAD model. The long term goal of the School Feeding Programme in Ghana, is to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development goals (MDGs) 1&2 which aim at eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and to achieve universal primary education. Specifically, the school feeding programme in Ghana seeks to motivate parents to send their wards to school, improve school attendance, participation and retention and to improve the nutritional status of primary children in vulnerable communities in the country. Empirical research studies available suggest that the programme has witness some successes since its inception 2005, in areas such as primary school enrollment, participation and retention. However, it appears the programme is bedeviled with some of implementation challenges that pose serious threat to achieving the lofty benefits enshrined in the long term goals and sustainability of the programme. This paper sought to examine the issues and challenges of the GSFP in the KEEA Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana and offer some suggestions and recommendations for the improvement and sustainability of the programme.

The Impact at Scale of the Ghana School Feeding Programme on Primary School-Age Children's Anthropometry: A Cluster Randomised Trial

Background: Attention to nutrition during all phases of child and adolescent development is necessary to ensure healthy physical growth and to protect investments made earlier in life. Leveraging school feeding programmes as platforms to scale-up nutrition interventions is relevant as programmes function in nearly every country in the world. This study is aimed at evaluating the impact of the national school feeding programme in Ghana on school-age children's anthropometry indicators. Methods: A longitudinal cluster randomized control trial was implemented across the 10 regions of Ghana, covering 2,869 school age children (aged 5-15y). Communities were randomized to 1) control group without intervention; or 2) treatment group providing the reformed national school feeding programme. Primary outcomes included height-for-age (HAZ) and BMI-for-age (BAZ) scores. The analysis followed an intention to treat approach as per the published protocol for the study population and sub-group analysis by age (i.e. mid-childhood for children 5-8y and early adolescence for children 9-15y), gender, poverty and region of residence. We used single difference ANCOVA with mixed-effect regression models to assess programme impacts. Findings: School feeding had no effect on HAZ and BAZ in children aged 5-15 years. However, in per protocol subgroup analysis, the school feeding intervention improved HAZ in 5-8y old children (effect size 0.12 SDs), in girls (effect size 0.12 SDs), particularly girls aged 5-8y living in the northern regions, and in children aged 5-8 in households living below the poverty line (effect size 0.22 SDs). There was also evidence that the intervention influenced food allocation and sharing at the household level. Interpretation: Schools feeding can provide a platform to scale-up nutrition interventions in the early primary school years, with important benefits accruing for more disadvantaged children. Trial Number: Trial registered on the ISRCTN Registry as ISRCTN66918874 Funding Statement: This trial was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Dubai Cares. Declaration of Interests: Aulo Gelli received support from the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH), led by the International Food Policy Research Institute. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the Noguchi Memorial Medical Research Institute of the University of Ghana and sought at the Imperial College Research Ethics Committee. Meetings were held from early stages in the study development with relevant government ministries both at central and decentralised levels to discuss the purpose, procedures and risks involved in the study. Informed consent was obtained from parents/guardians of children through written and verbal information provided before interviews.

Nutrient composition and dietary diversity of on-site lunch meals, and anthropometry of beneficiary children in private and public primary schools in Ghana.

On-site lunch provided through the Ghana School Feeding Programme is expected to be nutritionally adequate thereby contributing to reducing hunger and malnutrition. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary diversity and nutrient composition of on-site school lunch and estimate the extent to which it met the Food and Agriculture Organization Reference Nutrient Intakes for children aged 3-12 years. In this cross-sectional food consumption survey, on-site lunch menus were reviewed, dietary diversity assessed and meal preparation/serving observed during a typical school week. Three randomly selected portion sizes were weighed and the average weight (grams) entered into the RIING nutrient software to estimate the nutrient composition. Anthropometry of participants enrolled in seven public (n = 113) and six private (n = 216) primary schools in Hohoe municipality, Ghana was analysed using World Health Organization Anthroplus software. The menu consisted largely of energy-dense staples, some vegetables and fish. Eggs, dairy and fruits were never served. Meals served in the public and private schools were statistically similar. Fat (23.8 vs. 27.7 g), iron (3.0 vs. 2.8 mg), vitamins A (417.3 vs. 280.8 µg retinol equivalent) and C (25.1 vs. 16.5 mg) requirements were fully met. Energy (420.6 vs. 462.2 kcal), protein (6.8 vs. 6.8 g), thiamin (0.18 vs. 0.17 mg) and zinc (1.3 vs. 1.2 mg) were 50-75% met. Calcium (62.6 vs. 61.4 mg), riboflavin (0.09 vs. 0.07 mg) and niacin (1.6 vs. 1.3 mg) were 26-37% met. Concerning nutritional status, prevalence of stunting (8.9% vs. 7.9%), underweight (3.6% vs. 5.7%), thinness (1.8% vs. 3.7%) and overweight/obesity (3.5% vs. 4.2%) were also statistically similar. Enhancing dietary diversity is crucial to achieving nutrient-dense school meals.

Agro-ecological zone and farm diversity are factors associated with haemoglobin and anaemia among rural school-aged children and adolescents in Ghana.

Understanding contextual risk factors for haemoglobin (Hb) status and anaemia of rural school‐aged children (SAC) and adolescents is critical in developing appropriate interventions to prevent anaemia. We analysed secondary data from the baseline of an impact evaluation of the Ghana School Feeding Programme to determine the severity of anaemia and contextual factors associated with anaemia and Hb status among rural SAC (6–9 years; n = 323) and adolescents (10–17 years; n = 319) in Ghana. We used regression models with variable selection based on backward elimination in our analyses. The mean Hb was 113.8 ± 13.1 g/L, and the overall prevalence of anaemia was 52.3%, being 55.1% and 49.5% among SAC and adolescents, respectively. We identified child's age (β = 2.21, P < 0.001); farm diversity score (β = 0.59, P = 0.036); and agro‐ecological zone (P trend <0.001) as the main predictors of Hb of SAC. Household asset index (P trend = 0.042) and agro‐ecological zone (P trend <0.001) were predictors of Hb in adolescents. Agro‐ecological zone and age were predictors of anaemia, but the effect of age was only significant for girls and not boys (prevalence odds ratio [POR] = 1.35, 95% CI [1.04, 1.76] vs. POR = 1.14, 95% CI [0.88, 1.46]). SAC in households with maize stock were less likely to be anaemic (POR = 0.55, 95% CI [0.32, 0.97]). Household dietary diversity score (β = 0.59, P = 0.033) was associated with Hb status for the full sample only. Anaemia is a severe public health problem among SAC and adolescents in rural Ghana irrespective of sex. Farm diversity score, availability of maize stock in the household, household asset index, and agro‐ecological zone were the main predictors of Hb and anaemia among the rural SAC and adolescents.

A free lunch or a walk back home? The school food environment and dietary behaviours among children and adolescents in Ghana.

Food environments can play an important roles in shaping nutrition and health outcomes. One such environment that has potential to affect youth is the school food environment. In contrast to higher-income countries, however, there is a critical evidence gap on the role of school food environments on children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. This mixed-methods study contributes to filling this gap by investigating the role of school food environments on dietary behaviours of children and adolescents in Ghana. It draws on data from household and school questionnaires as well as focus group discussions collected as part of the baseline for an impact evaluation of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).Multi-level regression models were fitted with random intercepts at the individual, household and community levels. Excerpts from the focus group discussions provided a deeper understanding of quantitative findings. Children and adolescents who received free school meals provided by the GSFP or who lived further away from school were less likely to go home for lunch. More than half of sampled schools reported offering foods for sale by independent vendors, the most common being meals followed by confectionery, fruit and sugar-sweetened beverages. Predictors of bringing money to school to buy food included non-receipt of free school meals, adolescence, greater commuting distance from home, household asset score, and urban location. Policy efforts focusing on the school food environment may contribute to healthy dietary behaviours for children and adolescents with positive impacts over the lifecourse.

Nutritional Status of Pupils Attending Public Schools with and without School Feeding Programme in Hohoe Municipality, Ghana

At-school lunch provision through the Ghana school-feeding programme (GSFP) is a child survival, health promotion and food security intervention implemented in selected schools in all 216 districts nationwide with the nutrition objective of reducing short-term hunger and malnutrition. The study assessed the impact of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) on the nutritional status of participants. School-based cross-sectional survey using multi-stage sampling to select 417 pupils aged 3-12 years enrolled in 14 public basic schools with (n=133) and without (n=304) school feeding programme in the seven sub-districts of the Hohoe municipality, Ghana. Data was collected between January-April 2015 through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire with assistance from teachers/guardians. Weight, height and mid upper-arm circumference were measured and used to generate underweight, stunting, thinness and obesity using WHO Antroplus and STATA 12.1. Mutually-adjusted simple and multinomial logistic regressions were done to determine association between the explanatory and dependent variables. Overall, 15.6% underweight, 9.8% stunting, 4.3% thinness and 5.5% overweight prevalence were observed. Between beneficiary and non-beneficiary pupils, there were no statistically significant differences in underweight (12.4% vs. 16.8%), stunting (13.3% vs. 8.6%), thinness (1.8% vs. 5.3%) and overweight (3.5% vs. 5.6%) respectively. Most of the explanatory variables including provision of schools meals were not significantly associated with the nutritional status indicators. Pupils in lower primary had increase odds for underweight (AOR; 3.0, 95% CI; 1.4-6.6, p=0.006) while those residing in rural areas were five folds more likely to be stunted (AOR; 5.3, 95%CI; 1.3-21.6, p=0.021). Prevalence of malnutrition was lower among beneficiaries but there were no statistical significant differences in anthropometry between schools with and without feeding programme. Findings suggest that the school feeding programme could marginally improve nutritional status of beneficiaries.