Implementing an Integrated Nutrition Programme - Health Systems ...

Each participating school has a PSNP committee, which is responsible for running the
programme. Parents have been encouraged to become involved – and schools are
encouraged to buy supplies from local suppliers in order to support the local economy.
3.2 Financial resources and control
The number of schools and pupils as well as the budget for the PSNP is shown in Table 13.
Funding is calculated based on the number of pupils per school. The school receives 50c
per child per day for feeding and between 5c and 15c per child for administrative costs.
Administrative costs are used to pay incentives to parents who are involved in the scheme
and to cover transport and other administrative costs.
Each committee has a bank account and cheque book. At the beginning of each financial
year, 30% of the school’s budget is paid into the account – subsequent payments are made
when receipts and bank statements are submitted for re-imbursement.
Table 13: Budget for PSNP, Lower Orange
No. of schools No. of pupils Budget
97/98 Financial Year - R1,682,042
98/99 Financial Year 50 16,331 R1,573,122
99/2000 Financial Year 56 16,625 R1,520,559
3.3 Problems with implementation
Provincial level
The programme is thought to be working well with the majority of pupils being reached. No
formal evaluation has been done, but there are numerous anecdotal reports of improved
school attendance and improved concentration. Lack of human resources is a problem, with
only one community development officer being responsible for a whole district (some of the
districts, although sparsely populated are larger than Kwazulu/Natal). Monitoring of the
programme has therefore been difficult.
Concerns have been raised regarding the sustainability of the programme, bearing in mind
that the RDP funds allocated to the programme will be withdrawn over the next few years.
At the beginning of 1998, the governing bodies of eight urban schools were approached and
requested to contribute towards the PSNP. The schools approached were those where it
was felt that the majority of children do not require to be part of the programme and that
parents and communities’ have the resources to contribute towards the scheme. Three of the
eight schools agreed - the other five felt that although they were situated in wealthier areas,
most of their pupils came from informal settlements and needed the scheme.
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