School meals, educational achievement, and school competition : evidence from a randomized evaluation (英语)

This brief summarizes the results of a gender impact evaluation study, entitled School meals, educational achievement, and school competition : evidence from a randomized evaluation, conducted between 2000 and 2002 in Kenya. The study observed the impact...  更多显示 This brief summarizes the results of a gender impact evaluation study, entitled School meals, educational achievement, and school competition : evidence from a randomized evaluation, conducted between 2000 and 2002 in Kenya. The study observed the impact of subsidized school meals on school participation, educational achievement, and school finance in a developing country setting that was implemented in 25 randomly chosen preschools in a pool of 50 schools on the child level. The school feeding program had a positive significant impact on school participation (treated students participated in school 35.9 percent of the time versus 27.4 for the comparison group). The program led to a significant improvement in test scores, but only in schools where teachers were more experienced at the onset of the program. There was no impact on cognitive abilities. The program led to a significant improvement in the weight of boys, but no improvement in the height or weight of girls. The increased participation led to overcrowding, but had no impact on teacher absenteeism. Also, the school meals displaced teaching time. Funding for the study derived from the Dutch Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Internationaal Christelijk Steunfonds (ICS).  更少显示