Perceptions of School Management Teams in Implementing the National School Nutrition Programme in KwaZulu-Natal
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| Title: | Perceptions of School Management Teams in Implementing the National School Nutrition Programme in KwaZulu-Natal |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Xolani Wycliff Zulu |
| Source: | International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies. 2025 17(2):36-49. |
| Availability: | Academic Journals. e-mail: IJEAPS@academicjournals.org; Web site: http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/IJEAPS |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Nutrition, Administrator Attitudes, Administrator Role, Food, Barriers, Parent Role, Lunch Programs, Time Management, Breakfast Programs, Volunteers, Teamwork, Food Service, Hygiene, Program Effectiveness |
| Geographic Terms: | South Africa |
| ISSN: | 2141-6656 |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of school management teams regarding their role in implementing the national school nutrition programme in the Harry Gwala District in KwaZuluNatal. This article is extracted from a Ph.D. thesis in which a qualitative research design was used, with a sample of school managers in the form of Principals and Heads of Departments (School Departmental Heads), who participate in the school nutrition programme. Data was collected through individual interviews and document analysis. The study findings highlighted that school managers perceived their role in checking foodstuffs delivered by service providers as key to ensuring the smooth running of the school nutrition programme. The findings also emphasized that school managers saw it as their role to ensure that all learners at the school benefit from the programme. The findings further indicated that school managers were demotivated by the unavailability of feeding equipment in their role of managing the school nutrition programme. The study also asserts that school managers perceived the smooth running of the school nutrition programme as dependent on the proper management and administration of the programme. The study also found that school managers perceived safety and security in the school nutrition programme as the most challenging aspect of their management. It was also discovered that the duty of ensuring that Volunteer Food Handlers are paid on time was perceived as a barrier to programme implementation. School managers perceived that food for learners should be prepared and served under hygienic conditions, even if the infrastructure is poorly developed. This study makes a meaningful contribution to the management of the national school nutrition programme and also fills the gap in understanding how school managers perceive their role in the programme's implementation. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505913 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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