Effects of School Feeding Programmes on Concentration and Learning Among Primary Pupils in Nasarawa State

This study evaluates the effects of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme on classroom concentration and learning outcomes among primary school pupils in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. The National School Feeding Programme, launched as part of the Federal Government's social investment agenda, aims to improve nutrition and educational attendance among primary school children. In Nasarawa State, where food insecurity affects a significant proportion of rural households, the programme's implementation provides a natural context for assessing its developmental benefits. Using a quasi-experimental design, this research compared concentration levels and learning outcomes in 360 pupils across beneficiary and non-beneficiary schools in Lafia and Akwanga local government areas. Classroom concentration was measured using structured teacher observation protocols, while learning outcomes were derived from end-of-term examination scores in English and mathematics. Independent t-tests and ANCOVA were used for analysis. Results indicate that pupils in beneficiary schools demonstrated significantly higher classroom attention scores and improved examination performance compared to non-beneficiary peers. Morning attendance rates were also higher in feeding programme schools. Programme quality and meal consistency were identified as important moderating variables. The study recommends continued government investment in the school feeding programme and improved monitoring of food quality and delivery consistency. Keywords: school feeding programme, concentration, learning outcomes, primary pupils, Nasarawa State.