Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the challenges experienced by teachers in their role in implementing the National School Nutrition Program in schools within the Harry Gwala District of KwaZulu-Natal. This article is extracted from a Ph.D. thesis that employed a qualitative research design, utilizing a sample of teachers who participate in the School Nutrition Program. Twelve schools were selected, with a total of twenty-four teachers purposively sampled—two teachers from each school, one of whom served as a nutrition coordinator. Data was gathered through individual interviews and document analysis. Ethical considerations were addressed before and during the data collection process, including informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality, voluntary participation, and the right to withdraw at any stage during the data collection process. The findings indicated that teachers faced challenges in implementing the program, such as service providers' compliance with delivery regulations, delayed payments to service providers, and the provision of insufficient and poor-quality food supplies. However, the nutrition program also benefited learners from poor backgrounds, reduced absenteeism, and increased school enrollment. These findings align with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which suggest that provision should be made for meals at schools if learners do not receive adequate nutrition at home. Additional challenges identified included poor infrastructural development, insufficient time allocated for feeding, delayed payments to service providers, a lack of capacity-building workshops for teachers on the National School Nutrition Program, documentation requirements for learners as a condition for nutrition approval, school enrollment issues, and vandalism of utensils by learners. This study makes a meaningful contribution to the scholarship of education management and nutrition both within the country and globally.

Key words: National School Nutrition Program, department of basic education, teachers, service providers, learners, volunteer food handlers, challenges, program implementation.