Akshaya Patra ::Unlimited food for education- an innovative school meal program for underprivileged students

ACNielsen, the world's leading marketing research information company, conducted an impact assessment study in 2006 of five locations served by Akshaya Patra:

Bangalore and Hubli (Karnataka)
Jaipur and Baran (Rajasthan)
Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh).

Among many positive results, the study found that enrolment data shot up during the first year of program implementation across almost all locations, significant improvement in school attendance and the retention of students in school, and better student performance after implementation of the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

Both parents and students reported that the Akshaya Patra school meal program was a motivation for the children to attend school. In addition, parents stated that their children's health improved due to the program, and students expressed high rates of satisfaction with the school meals.

In 2008, the Nielsen Company is conducting a second impact assessment study of Akshaya Patra. This study is taking place in eight locations, including the five Akshaya Patra locations that were assessed in 2006. Results are expected in mid-2008.

Objective and Methodology

The main objective of the 2006 impact assessment study was to critically evaluate the impact of the school meal program on children in schools served by Akshaya Patra.

The study methodology was a mix of both quantitative and qualitative research tasks, including the compilation of secondary data from school records and semi-structured interviews with teachers, headmasters, parents, and students.

Sample schools were selected from all types of locations, including urban areas, rural areas and urban slums. Sample schools were also distributed across student strength and class levels, such as high schools, higher primary schools, and lower primary schools.

Location	Total Schools Covered	Teachers	Parents	Students (anthropometric measurements)	Total Students (approx.)
Bangalore	15	28	62	375	3500
Hubli/Dharwad	15	30	61	366	3500
Jaipur	14	28	55	349	3500
Baran	10	20	38	342	3500
Vrindavan	14	28	54	346	3500
Total	68	134	270	1778	17500

Bangalore

In Bangalore, ACNielsen found significant improvements in student enrolment, retention, and classroom performance. Students also reported that the meals motivated them to attend school and high levels of participation in and satisfaction with the school meals provided by Akshaya Patra.

enrolment increased by almost 24% (class I)
enrolment of girls increased by 34% (class I)
the student drop out rate declined from 18% to 8% (class I)
the percentage of students who obtained grade A increased from less than 10% to over 15% (class VI to class VIII)

Enrolment in Bangalore (class I)

N = 13 schools

Classroom performance of students in Bangalore (class VI- class VIII)

N = 8 schools

In addition, a majority of teachers across in Bangalore reported that the classroom performance and attention spans of students improved significantly after implementation of the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

Approximately 18% of students in Bangalore reported that they would not have come to school every day if Akshaya Patra school meals were not available. More than 80% of parents in Bangalore also stated the that meals motivate their children to regularly attend school.

Finally, approximately 99% of students in Bangalore reported receiving the meal every day, and approximately 97% of students reported that they liked the Akshaya Patra meal every day.

Hubli

In Hubli, ACNielsen found increases in student enrolment and attendance. Teachers reported improvements in classroom performance, and students expressed high levels of participation in and satisfaction with the school meals provided by Akshaya Patra.

enrolment in class I by increased by over 16%
enrolment for girls increased by almost 23% (class I)
enrolment in class V increased by 31%

Enrolment in Hubli (class I)

N = 15 schools

The average attendance rate in Hubli was already high, at 96.1%, before the implementation of Akshaya Patra (according to secondary data collected from the schools). After implementation, the attendance rate rose to 97.6%. Teachers and parents reported that more children were attending school after the arrival Akshaya Patra.

In addition, more than 80% of parents in Hubli stated that the Akshaya Patra school meal is one of the reasons for their children’s regular attendance at school.

In Hubli, information on grades was not available. However, the majority of teachers in Hubli reported that the classroom performance and attention spans of students improved significantly after implementation of the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

Less than 1% of students in Hubli reported not taking the Akshaya Patra school meal every day. Also, approximately 96% of students reported that they liked the food every day.

Jaipur

In Jaipur, ACNielsen found improvements in student attendance and enrolment. Students reported that the meals motivated them to attend school and high rates of participation in and satisfaction with the school meals provided by Akshaya Patra.

attendance increased from under 85% to over 91% (all classes)
18% of students reported that they would not attend school if there were no meals (all classes)

Attendance in Jaipur (all classes)

N= 14 schools

At the time of the impact assessment was conducted in Jaipur, the Akshaya Patra school meal program had been in operation for only one year, and annual examinations had not yet been completed. As a result, ACNielsen did not collect classroom performance data in Jaipur.

However, approximately 18% students in Jaipur reported that they would not have come to school every day if Akshaya Patra school meals were not available.

Additionally, approximately 70% of parents in Jaipur stated that their children’s health had improved due to the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

More than 99% of all students reported taking the school meal every day, and approximately 94% students reported that they liked the food every day.

Baran

In Baran, AC Nielsen found significant increases in student attendance and enrolment. This result actually reversed a trend of declining enrolment over the three years prior to implementation of the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

enrolment increased by 41% (class I)
enrolment of girls increased by almost 45% (class I)
attendance increased from 81% to almost 91% (all classes)

Attendance in Baran (all classes)

N= 10 schools

Most of the schools in Baran do not have any grading system in primary classes. However, a majority of teachers in Baran reported that classroom performance and attention spans of students improved significantly after implementation of the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

Additionally, approximately 84% of parents in Baran perceived that their children’s health improved due to the Akshaya Patra school meal program.

Vrindavan

In Vrindavan, ACNielsen found significant improvements in student enrolment, attendance and classroom performance.

enrolment increased by 12% (class I)
enrolment for girls increased by over 17% (class I)
attendance increased from under 81% to over 92% (all classes)
the percentage of students who received top grades increased from under 15% to over 25% (class V)
the percentage of students who received low grades declined from over 11% to under 2% (class V)

Enrolment in Vrindavan (class I)

N= 14 schools

Attendance in Vrindavan (all classes)

N= 14 schools

Classroom performance in Vrindavan (class V)

N= 14 schools