National School Nutrition Programme, NSNP
Basic Information
Country
Geographic area
Population group
Children
Programme Details
Programme objectives
To enhance the learning capacities of students by providing them a healthy meal.
Department of Basic Education. 2015. “National School Nutrition Programme.” Department of Basic
Education website. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://www.education.gov.za/Programmes/NSNP/
tabid/632/Default.aspx>.
Start date
1994
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Conditionalities (if any)
School attendance
Coverage
8 million students in primary and secondary schools
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Programme expenditure
ZAR4.9 billion (USD600 million) was the budget for 2012/13.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Targeting and eligiblity
Targeting methods
Categorical Targeting
Geographical Targeting
World Food Programme. 2013. State of School Feeding Worldwide. Rome: WFP. Accessed 11
November 2015. <https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/13536/WFP_
StateofSchoolFeeding2013_web.pdf?sequence=1>.
Targeted areas
The country’s most poorly resourced public schools in poor communities
are selected jointly with schools for students with disabilities.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Target groups
Children
Eligibility criteria
School enrolment
Coverage and other information
Type of benefits
Food
Amount of benefits
The food is provided as a daily cooked meal (of around 15 per cent of
the Recommended Dietary Allowance) consisting of a protein, starch and
vegetable with a fruit one day per week. Menus vary from province to
province according to cultural variation, and serving portions are larger
for older students. Schools with access to a food garden may supplement
the meals with their own produce.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Payment/delivery frequency
Meals are served daily by 10 am, except in the province of Gauteng,
where breakfast is provided; therefore, the cooked meal is served
later in the morning.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Benefit delivery mechanism
Meals are served by volunteers from the communities, who receive
a monthly stipend, which is reviewed annually. The facilities vary from
school to school but they usually have an adequately equipped kitchen
and storage space.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Benefit recipients
Students
Minimum and maximum duration of benefits (if any)
Meals are provided for an average of 191 days in the school year.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and frequency
A committee comprising the principal, a teacher and members
of the school’s governing body is responsible for overseeing the
daily implementation of the programme and for monitoring its
financial management.
Rendall-Mkosi, K. et al. 2013. Case Study of the National School Nutrition Programme in South Africa.
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://hgsf-global.org/en/component/
docman/doc_details/404-case-study-of-the-national-school-nutrition-programme-in-south-africa>.
