EFFECTS OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM ON STUDENTS' RETENTIONINSELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF ARGOBA SPECIAL DISTRICT, GABIZONE, AFAR NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT This study investigated the ef ects of school feeding program on students’ retentioninselected primary schools of Argoba Special District, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia. It answered three basic research questions that represented the three specific objectives-assessing ef ects of the program on alleviating short term hunger and on parental motivation as well as identifying challenges of the program. The study combinedquantitative surveys of 274 respondents—comprising students, teachers, and communityrepresentatives—and qualitative interviews with key school of icials. The main findingsof the descriptive statistics analysis revealed that school feeding programhad a positiveand moderate ef ects (WM= 3.15 and STD= 0.289) on students’ retention. It alsoindicated that alleviating short-term hunger through school feeding greatly enhancesstudents’ concentration, participation, and academic performance, thereby positivelyinfluencing retention across all grades. Similarly, parental motivation to enroll childrenwas also moderately increased by school feeding program, as parents viewedtheprogram as a catalyst for educational engagement and poverty alleviation. Econometricanalysis with multiple linear regression model also confirmed that both alleviationof hunger and parental motivation were significant predictors of students’ retention, inwhich both variables collectively explaining about 48.3% of the variance observedbythe model, and parental motivation was the main unique contributor in explainingsuchvariance. However, the implementation faced challenges such as inadequateinfrastructure, limited sectoral coordination, insuf icient funding, and sustainabilityconcerns, especially regarding transitioning from externally supported to homegrownmodels. The study underscores that ef ective school feeding initiatives, supportedbycommunity involvement and robust organizational frameworks, are vital for improvingeducational outcomes in food-insecure regions. Recommendations include strengtheningmulti-sectoral collaboration, establishing independent monitoring bodies, andintegrating school feeding program with broader educational support mechanisms tosustain and expand its positive ef ects on students’ retention