FOOD FOR EDUCATION, SCHOOL REFORM AND FOOD SECURITY: Making the Connections Beryl Levinger Education Development Center and Monterey Institute of International Studies

Coming Attractions: Four Main Ideas The universalization of primary school is a prerequisite for food securityThe universalization of primary school is a prerequisite for food security Food for education boosts primary school participation and, hence, food securityFood for education boosts primary school participation and, hence, food security The effects of primary school education on food security are greatest wherever “quality standards” are met; however, important effects are present even when educational quality is modestThe effects of primary school education on food security are greatest wherever “quality standards” are met; however, important effects are present even when educational quality is modest Efforts to improve primary education participation (demand) and efforts to improve primary education quality (supply) are highly interrelated and mutually reinforcing; both can be influenced by FFEEfforts to improve primary education participation (demand) and efforts to improve primary education quality (supply) are highly interrelated and mutually reinforcing; both can be influenced by FFE

A Cycle of Mutual Reinforcement

Food security=

SCHOOLING Attitudes & Knowledge Related to Consumption Choices *** Includes Factors Related to Diet, Nutrition, Value, Calculation of Purchase Cost/ Unit Access=Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Access= Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements

SCHOOLING Access=Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Access= Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes Favorable to Wage Sector Employment & Enhanced Livelihood Through Informal Sector Channels *** $ to buy food

SCHOOLING Access=Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Access= Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Attitudes Favorable to Child Spacing *** Includes Linkage Between Family’s Decision to Have Children & Ability to Provide for Them

SCHOOLING Access=Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Access= Individuals have cash or in-kind resources to obtain enough food to meet dietary and nutritional requirements Attitudes & Knowledge Conducive to Breast Feeding & Growth Monitoring

Schooling Influences Food Availability Attitudes & Skills Related to Food Production SCHOOLING Partnering/ Cooperating with Others to Increase Food Production

Schooling Influences Utilization (making proper biological use of food) Health Care Facility Use Proper Use of Water Proper Breast Feeding Practice Community Action for Health & Sanitation Proper Food Handling & Preparation Treatment of Parasitic Disease Proper Sanitation Practices Proper Child Care

Food for Education Influences Schooling SUPPLY and DEMAND

Persistent Education SUPPLY Challenges Rationing of places due to low school plant absorptive capacity Irrelevant or inappropriate curriculum Tuition or fees charged High teacher absenteeism needs groupsInsufficient attention to meeting the special needs of girls or other special needs groups Schools are too far from children’s homesSchools are too far from children’s homes School calendar or schedule is inappropriate to local production or cultural norms Minimal linkages between school and community

Food for Education Can Boost Supply Use food to help community improve facilities Use food to help community build closer facilities Use food to improve teacher attendance Use food to pay teachers to attend training Use food to promote community involvement Use food to help pay teacher aides Use food to offset opportunity costs of school attendance Use food to build girl-friendly infrastructure

Persistent Education DEMAND Challenges Costs of school attendance are too high Too little learning takes place Students are likely to fail Schooling is culturally inappropriate Nothing “useful” is taught in school School facility does not meet girls’ needs Parents or children feel that…

Food for Education Can Boost DEMAND Use food to help offset costs of school attendance Use food to build links between school and home Use food to create opportunities for parental involvement Use food as a resource to enhance classroom learning Use food to improve children’s active learning capacity (ALC)

10 Education Reform Building Blocks

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #1: Change #1: Change Provide school lunches or snacks to alleviate short- term hunger Provide school lunches or snacks to alleviate short- term hunger Provide snacks that address micronutrient deficiencies associated with cognitive function Provide snacks that address micronutrient deficiencies associated with cognitive function

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #2: Change #2: Change Improve water and sanitation with food aid incentives Improve water and sanitation with food aid incentives Build facilities closer to students with food aid incentives Build facilities closer to students with food aid incentives

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #3: Change #3: Change Lengthen the school day and provide snacks to maintain attention Lengthen the school day and provide snacks to maintain attention Lengthen the school year and provide food to offset opportunity costs of attendance, especially for girls Lengthen the school year and provide food to offset opportunity costs of attendance, especially for girls

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #4: Change #4: Change Offer food incentives for community members to provide teacher housing Offer food incentives for community members to provide teacher housing Provide food to supplement teacher salaries or as a bonus for high performance Provide food to supplement teacher salaries or as a bonus for high performance Provide food to parent aides Provide food to parent aides

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #5: Change #5: Change Involve community members in the organization and management of school lunch or snack programs Involve community members in the organization and management of school lunch or snack programs Use community involvement in school feeding as an entry point for building a richer set of school- community links Use community involvement in school feeding as an entry point for building a richer set of school- community links

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #6: Change #6: Change Use food aid to help pay for training teachers to work with the new curriculum Use food aid to help pay for training teachers to work with the new curriculum Use food preparation as an opportunity to develop skills in food handling, storage, nutrition, sanitation and consumption choices Use food preparation as an opportunity to develop skills in food handling, storage, nutrition, sanitation and consumption choices

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #7: Change #7: Change Introduce snacks to reduce short-term cognitive deficits that will impede satisfactory progress with a more challenging curriculum Introduce snacks to reduce short-term cognitive deficits that will impede satisfactory progress with a more challenging curriculum Integrate food preparation activities with other elements of the curriculum including math, science, social studies and art Integrate food preparation activities with other elements of the curriculum including math, science, social studies and art

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #8: Change #8: Change Use school feeding program to build awareness of what goes on at school Use school feeding program to build awareness of what goes on at school Use school feeding program to create PTAs that eventually have the capacity to insist on accountability for results Use school feeding program to create PTAs that eventually have the capacity to insist on accountability for results

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #9: Change #9: Change Montetize a portion of donated commodities Montetize a portion of donated commodities Use proceeds to invest in quality Use proceeds to invest in quality

Food for Education and the 10 Education Reform Building Blocks #10: Create #10: Create Contract with local food producers to stimulate demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables Contract with local food producers to stimulate demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables Make connections to health sector through deworming and vitamin A supplementation Make connections to health sector through deworming and vitamin A supplementation Work with agricultural extensionists to develop school gardens Work with agricultural extensionists to develop school gardens

Contextualizing: 4 Scenarios

Conclusion

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