The South African Department of Basic Education is pleased to share the findings of the case study on the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) which was undertaken during 2012 by the Partnership for Child Development (PCD) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 12 schools, in two provinces: the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.

The NSNP was established in 1994 as one of the first initiatives of the first post apartheid democratic Government of South Africa. The programme is fully funded by the Government through a Conditional Grant and targets schools with learners from disadvantaged communities.

The programme initially focused on primary school learners but currently also caters for secondary school learners and provides meals to nearly 9 million learners per school day in all nine provinces. The NSNP serves one cooked meal that consists of a protein dish, a starch and a fresh vegetable to each learner.

Three pillars form the basis of the programme namely: school feeding, nutrition education and establishment and maintenance of food gardens in schools. As a country, we envisage that the NSNP will encourage healthy eating habits and will contribute to the growth, development, improved learning, and acquisition of skills, improved learner retention and the reduction of absenteeism.

The case study showcases best practices as well as challenges that the programme experienced during implementation. The in-depth review has broadened our evidence base to enable us to put in place measures to further enhance the efficiency of the programme.