By Kei Emmanuel Duku
At St. Mary Magdalen Primary School in Kapoeta North County, Eastern Equatoria State, an increased enrollment of learners has been recorded, largely attributed to implementation of school feeding program.
The school feeding program, implemented by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and supported by World Food Program, is making a difference in the lives of children and their families.
Every day, students receive a meal of boiled sorghum, pulses and cowpeas, served at break time, lunch, and dinner for those in the boarding section. This simple yet nutritious food is now lifeline for many children who might otherwise have stayed home due to lack of food.
According to Head Teacher Sr. Mary Nkatha Jenario, due to implementation of the feeding program, they recorded a remarkable surge in enrollment this academic year, with registration of about 1,050 learners, a significant improvement from the last two years, which saw only 777 students.
The surge highlights the positive impact of the program on attracting students who might otherwise hesitate to attend school due to food insecurity.
“The feeding has been constant for the learners, and our enrollment for the last two years has marked a difference to the previous ones; however, the reduction has been because of harvest within the community. Usually, when there are good yields, our learners go back home to harvest sorghum, look after livestock, or attend other duties assigned by their parents,” said SR. Nkatha.
Despite the positive development, the administration noted that 129 students had dropped out this year. Sr. Mary pointed out that many parents tend to withdraw their children during harvest seasons when their help is needed at home.
St. Mary Magdalen School operates as both a day and boarding school, from nursery to secondary levels. While the enrollment of boys remains higher than that of girls, this year saw an increase in the number of girls taking the primary leaving examination.
Nkatha added that apart from the school feeding programs that have attracted more learners, parents are also encouraged to pay school fees in instalments/in kind, providing labour by cleaning/slashing around the school compound or cultivating in the school garden.
Currently, each learner at St. Magdalen pays 3,000 pounds termly as school fees. The school admits the majority of learners within Greater Kapoeta.
Mark Nakom Davis, the deputy head teacher of the school, expressed his appreciation for the implementing partners, stating that without food, children cannot learn effectively.
He described the community in Kapoeta North County as vulnerable, lacking access to basic necessities such as food. He mentioned that a balanced diet commonly prepared for the learners consists of boiled sorghum, pulses, and cowpeas, complemented by vegetables from school gardens.
Davis emphasized that for children to learn effectively and for their brains to function properly, they need a balanced diet.
Annabel Nakany, a Primary Six student at St. Magdalen Primary School, who is from Chikudum-Budi County, a neighboring area to Kapoeta North, stated that the school feeding program helps students focus during lessons.
Nakanay recalled that when COVID-19 emerged, many students dropped out, and the number of meals provided to pupils decreased.
She attributed the reduction of food ratio for the learners to the delayed supply of sorghum to the school by partners implementing the school feeding program as a result of the curfew introduced.
“Although many people say there is food in the school, the quantities served to us here are not enough to sustain learners. If there is another possibility of increasing the size, it will be ok, or more food should be brought from town on time to avoid some pupils missing food, which will end up disrupting their learning process,” stated Nakanay.
She further mentioned that the absence of dignity Kit has resulted in stigma when girls are being bullied by boys whenever they start to experience their menstrual cycles; this forced many girls to remain either at home or in the dormitories.
“We only enjoy food here in the school; when we go home, most of us lack food in our communities. This has forced many of my friends to get married, so our parents should send their children to school, especially the girls,” she emphasizes.
Meanwhile, Josephat Kutyauripo, the ADRA Project Manager, stated that they are currently engaging local communities in cultivating sufficient food crops to supplement ongoing school feeding programs. This, he said will ensure that when children return home, they have plenty of food to eat.
In Kapoeta North, four cooperatives have been provided with knowledge and skills regarding modern farming techniques, along with support in agricultural inputs.
While, at St. Magdalen Primary School, with the assistance of ADRA, a demonstration garden has been established.
Kutyauripo noted that North Kapoeta is one of the food-insecure areas in the country, which has led many parents to withdraw their children from school to gather wild fruits or tend to livestock.
He explained that the purpose of the demonstration garden is to supplement the school feeding program by cultivating cereal crops and a variety of vegetables, enabling the schools to provide a balanced diet for the students.
“Parents are already sending their children to school for the food, as they have nothing at home to feed them. In the end, these children wait for food while in class, learning something. So it is education first and food later,” said Kutyauripo.
South Sudan faces a severe education crisis, with an estimated 2.8 million children out of school, one of the highest rates globally, largely due to factors such as poverty, conflict, and cultural beliefs, according to UNICEF.
A recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report warns that approximately 57% of the population, or nearly 7.7 million people, will face acute food insecurity through the 2025 lean season, an increase from 7.1 million this year.
It further estimates that 2.1 million children aged 6 to 59 months are expected to experience elevated levels of acute malnutrition, including 650,000 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) between July 2024 and June 2025.
The school feeding program is one of the essential steps toward addressing such challenges and ensuring that children have the opportunity to learn and succeed.