Evaluating the South African National School Nutrition Programme during school breaks against the core principles and the right to education the Convention on the rights of the child

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper, we critically analyse the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) for learners during school breaks in South Africa, focusing on evaluating the NSNP’s adherence to the core principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as well as the right to education captured in the CRC. The paper employed a desktop research methodology, examining the CRC and numerous scholarly articles, legislation, case law, policy reports, and governmental documents. The results suggest that the NSNP demonstrate efficacy in upholding learners’ rights by means of respect, protection, and promotion during academic periods yet exhibit inadequacy during non-academic intervals. The absence of explicit provisions for uninterrupted nutritional assistance during school breaks within the NSNP may hinder the realisation of learners’ fundamental rights to adequate nourishment. In addition, it can be observed that the NSNP did not provide clear directives that promote the active participation of learners in decision-making processes related to their nutritional welfare during school breaks. The results above highlight the necessity of implementing a thorough child rights-based approach within the NSNP to guarantee the observance, safeguarding, advancement, and realisation of learners’ rights in line with the CRC core provisions throughout all seasons.

Keywords

• child rights-based approach
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
• National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP)
• school breaks
• South African learners
• South Africa