| Abstract: | The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of school feeding program on school participation in selected five government primary schools in Kirkos sub city. The study used a descriptive research design to collect a qualitative and quantitative data from both primary and secondary data sources. The researcher used Questionnaire and interview as a data collection instrument from home room teachers and principals, parent-teacher student union members, and feeding officers were also participated in the interview and document analysis was used by the researcher as secondary data source to complement the primary data. The study used both probability and non-probability sampling technique to obtain the desired number of respondents. The researchers used purposive and simple random sampling to select sampled schools and respondents. Descriptive statistics used to analyze the data where the frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations obtained and used to answer the research questions. The school feeding program is being implemented in the government primary schools where the study was conducted. The study found that the program had a positive effect on enrollment, enabling students to attend school regularly, and it is not only allowing school-age children to attend school, but also allows students who have dropped out of school to start school. The study finding also show that none of the sampled schools had initiated alternative income generating activities at the school to supplement what the government was providing. Therefore, if the government's support to improve the quality and sustainability of the program is adapted to the current living conditions, and schools could also use an alternative fund-raising mechanism. To reduce the challenge of community engagement, schools could first use parent-teacher union as a capacity and evaluate the implementation process by establishing a permanent communication system if the union can be part of the program to increase participation. |
