School management teams’ experiences in implementing a school feeding programme in Nigeria public primary schools

Abstract

School Management Teams (SMTs) implement a School Feeding Programme (SFP)to achieve their set objectives. However, the emerging demand placed on SMT to act as implementers of an SFP prompted the need to determine whether the working practices and relationships in selected Nigeria public primary schools were healthy enough to act out their roles despite the challenges experienced. This study investigated the experiences of SMTs in implementing aSFP in Nigeria public primary schools. A qualitative case study within a constructive/interpretivist paradigm was adopted for the research. The theoretical framework of this study is grounded in Administrative Management Theory by Henry Fayol (1949), which postulates that managers have to adapt to the five elements of the management procedure, namely planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling, to implement a programme effectively. Six schools participating in the SFP in the Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State were purposefully selected for this study. The SMTs that consisted of the headteacher, deputy headteacher and Heads of Department were the participants in this study. The data was obtained from different sources that included semi-structured interviews, document analysis and observations. The data was thematically analysed and the results were categorised according to themes and sub-themes. The findings of the study highlight the role of SMTs in implementing aSFP in their schools; inadequate funding and poor infrastructure were identified as the challenges that affected SFP implementation. Formulation of polic, as well as adequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the SMTs,s seems to be a common strategy used by SMTs in these schools to overcome the SFP challenges. SMTs applied other relevant administrative management practices in implementing aSFP in the schools. The study concluded that the management practices of SMTs seemed to be based on understanding and interaction of self and the school in which the programme was implemented.