Sri Lanka SCHOOL FEEDING SABER Country Report 2015 SABER School Feeding Policy Goals—Current Status Policy Goals Status 1. Policy Frameworks School feeding is mentioned under the Multisector Action Plan for Nutrition as one of the main interventions to address nutrition issues. A National School Feeding Policy in Sri Lanka currently does not exist; guidelines and directives are in place to regulate the school feeding program. However, a SABER-SF exercise stimulated the discussions to develop a technical policy for school feeding in Sri Lanka by the government in the near future. 2. Financial Capacity A national budget for the school feeding program is part of the national planning process and is revised annually. The budget line for school feeding is at the national level only. The budget allocated for the national school feeding program is not enough to cover the identified needs, and funds are disbursed to the implementation level intermittently. 3. Institutional Capacity and Coordination The School Health Promotion Steering committee has representatives from more than three ministries; a management unit for school feeding programs is in place in Sri Lanka, but they are understaffed and need additional resources. However, coordination mechanisms with the school level are in place and functioning, and national guidance occurs for the school feeding program. This guidance is made available in the form of directives and guidelines but is not yet fully functional across all schools. 4. Design and Implementation A monitoring and evaluation system for school feeding is defined and functional. Targeting criteria and methodology exist as well as national guidelines on food modalities and food baskets, but specific procurement guidelines for the school feeding program are not in place. Nevertheless, national procurement guidelines by the government of Sri Lanka are applied to the national school feeding program. 5. Community Roles—Reaching Beyond Schools In Sri Lanka, School Feeding Management committees, subcommittees of the School Development committees, are currently in place and are active in the implementation of the school feeding program; they comprise parents, teachers, and community representatives. A need is seen to develop mechanisms through which committees can hold the school feeding program accountable at the regional and national levels. 0 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 education zones, and 305 divisions that oversee 10,119 Introduction schools (MoE 2014). This report presents an assessment of school feeding Sri Lanka is an island country, located in South Asia, with policies and institutions that affect young children in Sri a population of more than 20 million people. The Lanka. The analysis is based on a World Bank tool population growth rate was reported at 1 percent in developed as part of the Systems Approach for Better 2012 (world Bank, 2012a, and infant mortality is 9 per Education Results (SABER) initiative that aims to 1,000 live births (World Bank 2012b). The human systematically assess education systems against development index in 2013 was 0.75, with an overall evidence-based global standards and good practice to rank of 74 in the world (in 2013) (UNDP 2014). help countries reform their education systems for proper learning for all. Sri Lanka has experienced 26 years of conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil School feeding policies are a critical component of an Eelam, which officially ended in May 2009. This conflict effective education system, given that children's health claimed more than 60,000 lives, devastated physical and nutrition impact their school attendance, ability to infrastructure in Northern and Eastern provinces, left learn, and overall development. A school feeding landmines contaminating arable land, and disrupted program is a specific school-based health service, which traditional livelihoods. can be part of a country’s broader school health program, and often a large amount of resources is Per capita gross national income in 2011 stood at $2,580, invested in a school feeding program. SABER–School meaning that the country has been elevated to lower Feeding collects, analyzes, and disseminates middle-income status. However, regional disparities are comprehensive information on school feeding policies pronounced with respect to poverty levels, incomes, around the world. The overall objective of the initiative infrastructure development, and institutional capacity. is to help countries design effective policies to improve their education systems, facilitate comparative policy The poverty gap at national poverty line was 1.7 analysis, identify key areas to focus investment, and percent in 2010, with an overall rank of 74 (World Bank assist in disseminating good practice. 2015). In late 2013, the World Food Programme (WFP) launched a Revised WFP School Feeding Policy that incorporates Education and Health in Sri Lanka SABER–School Feeding. The revised policy requires every WFP country office with a school feeding component to Sri Lanka ensures free education from primary to higher undertake a policy dialogue with the education sector in education as per the policy endorsed by the State Council the country as part of capacity-building activities. WFP between 1931 and 1947. This policy contributed to decided to use SABER–School Feeding as one of their expanding the general education system and to ensuring policy tools to guide the policy dialogue and to assess in an increase in access and participation in primary and a more systematic way the transition of school feeding secondary education. The government provides all programs to national ownership and/or the students at the primary and secondary stages with free strengthening of national school feeding programs. WFP textbooks, uniform fabrics, medical services, subsidized will integrate this tool into their project preparation from transport facilities, scholarships for high-performing 2015 onwards. students from low-income families, and school meals for selected schools. Sri Lanka in Brief The school system has a span of 13 years (from grade 1 to 13) and admission is at age five. Primary education Sri Lanka achieved its independence in 1948 and became spans grades 1–5, lower secondary grades 6–11, and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972. senior secondary grades 12–13. The nation is divided into nine provinces, 25 districts, 97 SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 1 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Compulsory education regulations were implemented The government’s education strategic plan, the for ages five to 14 (covering grades 1 to 9), but recently Education Sector Development Framework and a Cabinet decision was made to extend the regulations Programme (ESDFP), was introduced in 2006. Within the up to age 16 (grade 11). ESDFP, a five-year, medium-term, rolling strategic plan is prepared by the MoE in collaboration with the other The school system comprises 10,119 schools, 4,078,037 national education agencies and the provincial education students, and 232,908 teachers (government schools). authorities. ESDFP is guided by four main policy themes The education system functions as a decentralized and a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework. The system. The central level comprises the line Ministry of policy themes are the following: increasing equitable Education (MoE), National Institute of Education, access to and participation in primary and secondary Department of Examinations, and Department of education, improving the quality of education, Education Publications. There are nine provincial strengthening governance and service delivery of councils, and hence, the provincial education setup education, and the foundation theme on overarching comprises nine provincial Ministries of Education, nine education sector planning. Provincial Departments of Education, 98 Zonal Education Offices, and 305 Education Divisions. Government spending on education: Currently, 1.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) is allocated for Teachers are prepared for the teaching profession education. In this case, education sector comprises through universities, National Colleges of Teacher general education (school education), higher education Education, Teacher Training Colleges, and Zone Level (university education), and tertiary and vocational Teacher Centres (MoE 2012; 2014). education. The new government has proposed to increase this percentage to 6 percent of (GDP). Recent data on enrollment, completion levels, and access to education indicate that current enrollment in The ratio of female to male primary enrollment is 100 primary education is 1,713,298 and secondary education percent (2010), and the official net enrollment rate for is 2,364,739. The completion rate in primary education is primary education is 94 percent (2012) (World Bank 98.4 percent. The survival rate at grade 9 is 92.87 percent 2015). and at grade 11 is 84.30 percent (MoE 2014). Health Gender disparities in education: Sri Lanka enjoys a high level of gender parity in the education sector. The Malnutrition prevalence, height for age (percentage of provision of educational facilities for women without children under age five) is 19.2, while the malnutrition discrimination has established gender equity in Sri Lanka. prevalence, weight for age (percentage of children under Also the life expectancy of females is higher than that of age five) is 21.6 (World Bank 2015). On the other hand, it males in Sri Lanka. Student enrollment at all stages of the seems that obesity and diabetes are an increasing education system shows gender parity, and at the problem among schoolchildren in Sri Lanka (World Bank secondary level there are more female students than 2015). Mental health is also a pressing issue concerning male students. The number of females completing schoolchildren and their well-being. different stages of education and passing examinations is higher than those of their male counterparts. Noncommunicable diseases account for about 65 However, the average literacy rate for females (91.4 percent of total deaths but only 9 percent from percent) is less than the literacy rate of males (94.1 communicable, maternal perinatal, and nutritional percent). This difference is mainly because of the lower conditions. literacy levels of the older female population, and the rates show no disparity in the younger age groups. This Prevalence of low birth weight according to the Family indicates that Sri Lanka will have a highly educated Health Bureau was 13.3 percent in 2013, and the female population, and that could change the literacy prevalence of preschoolers being moderately profile of the future generation (Department of Census underweight and severely underweight (age three to and Statistics 2012). five) was 19.5 and 3.8 percent, respectively. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 About 80 percent of households have access to safe Bank jointly undertook an analysis titled Rethinking drinking water, and about 46 percent drink water from School Feeding (Bundy et al 2009). This initiative sought protected wells (Ministry of Health Care and Nutrition, to better understand how to develop and implement 2012. Annual Health Bulletin, 2012). effective school feeding programs as a productive safety net that is part of the response to the social shocks, as Prevalence of anemia among the adolescents is 22 well as a fiscally sustainable investment in human capital. percent (UNICEF, Micronutrient Survey 2012- MRI). These efforts are part of a long-term global goal to achieve Education for All and provide social protection to The Case for School Feeding the poor. School feeding programs, defined here as the provision School Feeding Program in Sri Lanka of food to schoolchildren, can increase school enrollment1 and attendance, especially for girls.2 When Sri Lanka launched its School Feeding Programme in 1931 combined with quality education, school feeding while under foreign rule. The modality of the feeding programs can increase cognition3 and educational program has been changed several times based on the success.4With appropriately designed rations, school situation on the ground and, especially, on the feeding programs can improve the nutrition status of government's focus on addressing social and nutritional preschool- and primary school–aged children by issues. Challenges faced the sustainability of the school addressing micronutrient deficiencies. Combined with feeding program because of a scarcity of resources and local agricultural production, these programs can also lack of an evidence-based approach on the impact of the provide small-scale farmers with a stable market. School school feeding program on schoolchildren. Sri Lanka feeding programs can provide short-term benefits after experienced a civil war beginning in 1983 that lasted for crises, helping communities recover and build resilience, about three decades, which caused serious hardships for in addition to long-term benefits by developing human Sri Lanka and the younger generation. The current school capital (WFP 2013). School feeding programs can be meal program was commenced by the then government classified into two main groups: in-school feeding (when in 2002 and expanded gradually considering nutritional children are fed in school) and take-home rations (when needs and promotion of local food production and families are given food if their children attend school healthy food habits. WFP assisted the provision of school regularly). A major advantage of school feeding meals for schoolchildren in 2003 in the conflict-affected programs is the fact that they offer the greatest benefit areas in active partnership with the MoE in Sri Lanka. to the poorest children. Several studies5 have indicated that missing breakfast impairs educational performance. In Sri Lanka, the School Nutrition and Health Services Branch under the MoE currently manage the Present data suggest that almost every country is seeking school feeding program. Three program modalities are to provide food to its schoolchildren. Therefore, the key utilized: (1) a cash-based school meals program wherein issue is not whether a country will implement school meal providers are contracted to deliver prepared meals feeding programs but rather how and with what to schools, (2) a milk program wherein children receive a objectives, especially for low-income countries where glass of milk or yogurt, and (3) an in-kind school meals most food-insecure regions are concentrated. program wherein food commodities are brought to the schools and prepared at the school level for distribution Social shocks of recent global crises led to an enhanced to the students as hot meals. The first two programs are demand for school feeding programs in low-income fully funded by the government of Sri Lanka, and the countries because they can serve as a safety net for food- third program (in-kind school meals) is supported by WFP insecure households through an income transfer. In in addition to some government funds for procurement response to this amplified request, WFP and the World of condimental items and vegetables. All school feeding 1 4 Ahmed (2004); Gelli, Meir, and Espejo (2007). Adelman et al. (2008); Ahmed (2004); Tan, Lane, and Lassibille (1999). 2 5 Jacoby, Cueto, and Pollitt (1996); Kristjansson et al. (2007); Powell et al. Pollitt, Cueto, and Jacoby (1998); Simeon (1998); Simeon and Grantham- (1998). McGregor (1989). 3 Jukes, Drake, and Bundy (2008); Kristjansson et al. (2007); Whaley et al. (2003). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 programs are under the overall management of the goals and outlines respective policy levers and outcomes School Nutrition and Health Services Branch. In addition, that fall under each goal. canteens are found in many schools run on a commercial basis; these are not considered part of the school feeding The first goal is a national policy framework. A solid program. policy foundation strengthens a school feeding program’s sustainability and quality of implementation. The Ministry of Health provides iron tablets, folic acid, National planning for school feeding as part of the and vitamins in addition to the deworming medicine, country’s poverty reduction strategy (or other equivalent which are considered complementary activities to the development strategies) conveys the importance the school feeding program. government places on school feeding as part of its development agenda. For most countries that are Table 1: Coverage of the school meals program in Sri Lanka implementing their own national programs, school (2015) feeding is included in national policy frameworks.6 Program Students covered Schools School Meal Program for 884,620 6,839 primary children The second policy goal for school feeding is financial School Milk Program 84,843 352 capacity. Stable funding is a prerequisite for WFP-supported School Meal 156,427 958 sustainability. However, where need is greatest, Program programs tend to be the smallest and the most reliant on Total 1,125,890 8,149 external support. Funding for these programs can come Source: MoE (March 2015). from a combination of sources, such as Program No. of Allocation Number of students nongovernmental organizations (e.g., WFP), and the schools (SL Re Grades Grades Grand government. When a program becomes nationalized, it million) 1–5 6–13 total needs a stable and independent funding source, either School 6,839 3,156 769,886 114,734 884,620 through government core resources or development Meal funding. In the long term, a national budget line for Program school feeding is necessary for an effective and stable for program. Children Food for 958 83 96,950 59,477 156,427 The third policy goal is institutional capacity and Education coordination. School feeding programs are better Program 352 84,,843 executed when an institution is mandated with and School Milk 400 84,843 Program accountable for the implementation of such a program. Effective programs also include multisectoral Total 8,149 3,639 951,679 174,211 1,125,89 involvement from sectors such as education, health, 0 agriculture, and local government, as well as a % of 81.39% 55.55% 7.51% 27.89% comprehensive link between school feeding and other coverage from the school health or social protection programs and total established coordination mechanisms. x 81.39% School coverage The fourth policy goal is sound design and x 27.89% Total student population implementation. To maximize effectiveness, school x 55.55% Total students at primary level feeding programs should clearly identify country-specific problems, objectives, and expected outcomes. The Five Key Policy Goals to Promote School Feeding country’s context and needs should determine the program’s beneficiaries, food basket (menus), food Five core policy goals form the basis of an effective modalities, and supply chain. Countries and partners school feeding program. Figure 1 illustrates these policy should work toward creating a delicate balance among 6Bundy (2009); WFP (2012). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 international, national, and local procurement of foods to support local economies without jeopardizing the Figure 1: Policy Goals and Policy Levers for School quality and stability of the food supply. Feeding The last policy goal is community roles reaching beyond schools. School feeding programs that are locally owned, incorporate contributions from local communities, and respond to specific community needs are often the strongest. These programs are most likely to make a successful transition from donor assistance to national ownership. Community participation should be considered at every stage, but without overburdening community members. Use of Evidence-Based Tools The primary focus of the SABER–School Feeding exercise is gathering systematic and verifiable information about the quality of a country’s policies through a SABER– School Feeding Questionnaire. This data-collecting instrument helps to facilitate comparative policy analysis, identify key areas to focus investment, and disseminate good practice and knowledge sharing. This holistic and integrated assessment of how the overall policy in a country affects young children’s development is categorized into one of the following stages, representing the varying levels of policy development that exist among different dimensions of school feeding: Latent: No or very little policy development Emerging: Initial/some initiatives toward policy development Established: Some policy development Advanced: Development of a comprehensive policy framework Each policy goal and lever of school feeding is methodically benchmarked through two SABER analysis tools. The first is a scoring rubric that quantifies the responses to selected questions from the SABER–School Feeding questionnaire by assigning point values to the answers. The second tool is the SABER–School Feeding Framework rubric that analyzes the responses, especially the written answers, based on the framework’s five policy goals and levers. For more information, please visit the World Bank’s website on SABER–School Health and School Feeding and click on the “What Matters” Framework Paper under Methodology. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Policy Goal 1: school feeding are therefore related to improving the nutritional status of schoolchildren. Policy Frameworks in Sri Lanka The school feeding program is currently being implemented in Sri Lanka on the basis of guidelines and directives through an annual circular, which need to be Policy Lever combined into a comprehensive technical policy. Based on the SABER–School Feeding exercise, it was recognized x Overarching policies for school feeding in alignment that a school feeding policy is needed and should be with national-level policy developed. Discussions about this are ongoing, but there are no plans yet to develop such a policy. The A policy foundation helps strengthen the sustainability implementation guidelines used are only partially based and accountability of a school feeding program as well as on evidence and do not yet systematically cover all of the the quality of its implementation. Nearly all countries other four policy goals that are mentioned under SABER– with national ownership of programs have well- School Feed. The selection of districts and schools where articulated national policies on the modalities and school feeding is implemented is based on a combination objectives of school feeding (WFP 2012). of malnutrition, poverty, and some education data. School feeding is mentioned in the Sri Lankan national development strategy (“Mahinda Chinthana”; 1. Policy Framework Is Emerging Government of Sri Lanka 2010) under future programs for creating opportunities for children; one of the actions Indicators Score Justification is to provide a Glass of Milk and Mid-Day Meal 1A. National-level School feeding is Programme. In the National Nutrition Policy (Ministry of poverty reduction covered in part Healthcare and Nutrition 2010), school feeding is not strategy as well as under the Sri mentioned per se, but it is included under Policy education sectoral Lankan national policies and strategies development Objective 1, ‘’Ensuring Optimal Nutrition throughout the identify school feeding as strategy Lifecycle,’’ under key action area 1.4.1, “Create a Good an education and/or “Mahinda Nutrition Enabling Environment in Schools,” and the social protection Chinthana” and related activities under this key action. A school feeding intervention, with clearly the National policy strengthens the government's free education defined objectives and Nutrition Policy. policies. Accordingly, the feeding policy is included in the sectoral responsibilities. However, it is ESDFP, under its policy theme “Increasing Equitable mentioned under Access to Primary and Secondary Education” (MoE 2012: the Multi-sector 48–49). Unfortunately, none of the documents clearly Action Plan for specifies where school feeding will be anchored and who Nutrition as one of the main will implement it. interventions to address nutrition On the other hand, the midday meals program is further issues within mentioned in the Multi-sector Action Plan for Nutrition schoolchildren. (Government of Sri Lanka 2013) as one of the main 1B. An evidence-based No specific interventions of a direct nutrition-specific program to technical policy related to national policy on address micronutrient deficiencies and other health school feeding outlines school feeding concerns. The sectoral responsibility for school feeding the objectives, rationale, currently exists; lies with both the MoE and the Ministry of Health. scope, design, and however, funding and sustainability guidelines and School feeding is perceived as a program with several of the program and directives comprehensively through an activities that aims at (1) cultivating better nutrition addresses all four other annual circular habits and (2) identifying nutrition issues and creating policy goals. regulate the awareness to minimize them. The main objectives of school feeding SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 program. As a result of the SABER–School Feeding exercise, currently discussions are ongoing to develop a national school feeding policy in Sri Lanka. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 2. Financial Capacity Is Emerging Policy Goal 2: Financial Capacity in Sri Indicators Score Justification Lanka 2A. National budget A national budget for line(s) and funding are the school feeding allocated to school program is part of Policy Lever feeding; funds are the national planning x Governance of the national school feeding program disbursed to the process and is implementation levels revised annually; a through stable funding and budgeting in a timely and budget line for effective manner. school feeding is in Stable funding is necessary for the long-term place at the national sustainability of a school feeding program, especially one level only; WFP that transitions from being donor-funded to government- covers the cost of funded. School feeding programs supported by external the in-kind school partners generally rely on food aid, government in-kind meals in selected donations, and/or government cash contributions. For areas. the program to be sustainable and nationally owned, the school feeding program should have a budget line and be The budget allocated part of the government’s budgeting and planning is not enough to cover the needs for process. the national school feeding program for Funds for all national school feeding programs are the meals or for the allocated from the central level through national budget. other needs that are The budget is included in the national planning process identified under the as part of the annual education sector budgeting Multi-Sector Action exercise. The amount allocated is negotiated on an Plan for Nutrition. annual basis with the Ministry of Finance. The budget is Funds are disbursed disbursed through a national-level budget line, but no to the budget lines are in place at the lower (regional or district) implementation level level. The in-kind school meals program receives in an intermittent assistance from WFP in selected areas. manner. Not all needs of the national school feeding program are met; for example, while for 2015 the estimated needs for the school meals program are estimated at SL Re 4,423 million, only SL Re 3,500 million was allocated to the program in 2015. The budget allocated is unable to cover all needs as identified and agreed to under the Multi-Sector Action Plan for Nutrition (Government of Sri Lanka 2013). Fund disbursement to the implementation level is monthly. The government treasury releases funding for this program on a priority basis. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Policy Goal 3: considered understaffed and does not have all the necessary resources at its disposal to fulfill the required Institutional Capacity activities. A need exists for a comprehensive assessment and Coordination in of the staffing and resources requirements of the unit. Sri Lanka However, coordination with the school-level structures are in place and considered to be functional. For Policy Levers example, the school health promotion committee reports progress to the zonal health promotion x School feeding intersectoral coordination and committee, and it reports to the provincial health strong partnerships promotion committee. These provincial committees x Management and accountability structures, strong directly coordinate with the national committee chaired institutional frameworks, and monitoring and by the Secretary to the MoE. evaluation National guidance is available regarding the Implementing a school feeding policy requires significant management mechanisms of the available resources for institutional capacity because the program is a complex the three modalities that make up the school feeding school health intervention. The policy should clearly program. This guidance is made available in the form of define the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and directives and guidelines issued by the School Nutrition actors at all levels. Methodically increasing government and Health Services branch of the MoE. The guidance capacity to manage a school feeding program is includes the need to establish a School Feeding important to the program’s long-term sustainability. A Management Committee at school level, which is a national institution that is mandated with and subcommittee of the School Development Committee. accountable for the implementation of the school feeding The School Development Committee includes program is considered to be a best practice. This representatives of parents, teachers, and the institution should have a specific unit that has adequate community. The “emerging” rather than “established” resources and knowledgeable staff to manage the school level was given based on the fact that this structure is not feeding program. Moreover, policies that detail yet fully functional across all schools covered by the accountability and management mechanisms can help school feeding program. ensure program quality and efficiency, especially if the school feeding program is decentralized. 3. Institutional Capacity and Coordination Is Emerging The school feeding program in Sri Lanka is coordinated Indicators Score Justification by a multisectoral steering committee and the School 3A. Multisectoral Several Health Promotion Steering Committee. The latter is steering committee multisectoral chaired by the Secretary of State of the MoE and has coordinates committees exist in representatives of the MoE, Ministry of Health, Ministry implementation of a Sri Lanka where of Agriculture, Ministry of Child Development, Ministry national school school feeding and of Social Services and Livestock Development, and feeding policy. nutrition are discussed and Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply and regulated. The Drainage. The committee tends to meet on a quarterly School Health and basis to identify any policy issues, review status of Promotion Steering implementation, and recommend measures for Committee is strengthening school health promotion programs chaired by the including school feeding Secretary of the MoE and has The School Nutrition and Health Services Branch under representatives of the MoE manages the various school feeding programs the following in Sri Lanka. In terms of staffing levels and allocated ministries: Education, Health, resources, the school feeding management unit is Agriculture, Child SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Development, Social Services and Livestock Development, and Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage. This committee meets on a quarterly basis. 3B. National school The School feeding management Nutrition and unit and Health Services accountability Branch under the structures are in MoE manages the place, coordinating various school with school-level feeding programs in structures. Sri Lanka, but is is understaffed and lacks the resources to accomplish all required activities; a need exists to conduct a staffing and resources requirement assessment; however, coordination mechanisms with the school level are in place and functional. 3C. School-level National guidance is management and available for the accountability three modalities of structures are in the school feeding place. program. This guidance is made available in the form of directives and guidelines issued by the School Nutrition and Health Services branch of the MoE. However, they are not yet fully functional across all schools. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Policy Goal 4: Targeting criteria and methodology are available and clarified in the school feeding guidelines and used at the Design and implementation level. They are not based on a Implementation in Sri comprehensive school feeding–specific situation Lanka analysis; however, data are available on the district level that identify the districts with the highest levels of Policy Lever malnutrition and those with the highest levels of poverty. This classification in done on the district level and not at x Quality assurance of programming and targeting, the school level. The targeting criteria and methodology modalities, and procurement design, ensuring are based on a combination of the levels of malnutrition, design that is both needs-based and cost-effective poverty, and some education indicators. A well-designed school feeding policy that is based on National guidelines on food modalities and food basket evidence is critical to the implementation of a quality are developed by the School Nutrition and Health school feeding program. The policy can include details on Services Branch of the MoE. The guidelines include targeting the correct beneficiaries, selecting the proper details on the food basket of each modality of the school modalities of food delivery, and choosing a quality food feeding program. These guidelines are built on the basket. Over time, the school feeding policy may be objectives of the program, local habits and tastes, as well redesigned or modified according to reassessments of as the availability of local food. (It is worth noting that the school feeding program. some of the commodities for the in-kind modality In Sri Lanka, the M&E system for school feeding is supported by WFP are imported.) defined in a circular of the MoE. Given the anchoring of school feeding in the National Nutrition Policy, some of Although the national nutritional requirements are the nutrition-specific indicators are monitored by the almost met by the two larger subprograms, with 500 Ministry of Health.7 The frequency of the monitoring is kilocalories (Kcal)/child/day, they are actually slightly given in the guidance, and an M&E plan is carried out on below the international accepted standard of at least 555 an annual basis for the different levels (national, Kcal/child/day (up to 830 Kcal) for half-day school provincial, zonal). Data collection and reporting are programs. For the third modality—the milk program— regular on all levels in spite of limited staff on the the nutritional value provided is much lower, 100 national and provincial levels. Kcal/child/day. Food safety is considered in the guidelines in deciding the food basket, using the local Monitoring data are integrated in a management food safety norms, not World Health Organization information system (MIS), which at present is not guidelines. automated or web-based. The computer-based school- census database includes the basic and critical data No specific procurement guidelines are in place for the relating to the school feeding program, such as numbers school feeding program. Nevertheless, national of schools and students benefited, information on wash procurement guidelines by the government of Sri Lanka facilities, and sources of funding. Action has been taken are applied to the national school feeding program with to pilot a web-based MIS on school feeding, and no difficulties. For example, in the Mid-Day Meal necessary steps will be taken to strengthen the MIS in Programme, the schools procure a service (i.e., not food) due course. Currently the M&E system is not yet used to where they identify meal suppliers who will then procure refine and update program design; some limited flow of the ingredients and provide cooked meals to the schools. monitoring feedback takes place from higher to lower Thus, the procurement process takes into account the levels. cost (of the total service and thus only indirectly of the food) and considers the capacities of the meal providers (i.e., the service). Food quality (using the national 7 The MoE monitors program-related indicators such as fund disbursement Health monitors specific nutrition indicators such as hemoglobin level (to and utilization, number of children fed, etc. It also monitors some nutrition- check prevalence of anemia). related indicators such as weight and height of the children. The Ministry of SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 guidelines) and the stability of the food pipeline are objectives, local habits exist. The guidelines looked at directly through the school principals, School and tastes, availability include details on Development Committees, and School Health Promotion of local food, food the food basket of Committees. Food quality is checked by the public health safety, and nutrition each modality of the content requirements. school feeding inspectors of respective divisions, who are also members programs. These of the School Health Promotion Committee. guidelines are built on the objectives of 4. Design and Implementation Is Established the program, local Indicators Score Justification habits and tastes, as 4A. A functional An M&E system for well as the monitoring and school feeding is availability of local evaluation system is in defined and food and local food place as part of the functional at all safety norms. structure of the lead levels; it is 4D. Procurement and No specific institution and used integrated into MIS; logistics arrangements procurement for implementation data collection and are based on procuring guidelines are in and feedback. reporting are as locally as possible, place for the school regular; however, taking into account the feeding program. the M&E system is costs, capacities of Nevertheless, not utilized yet to implementing parties, national provide necessarily production capacity in procurement feedback to update the country, quality of guidelines by the and refine program the food, and stability government of Sri design. of the pipeline. Lanka are applied to 4B. Program design Targeting criteria the national school identifies appropriate and methodology feeding program target groups and are available, with no difficulties. targeting criteria clarified in the These general corresponding to the school feeding guidelines take into national school feeding guidelines, and used account the cost and policy and the at the the capacity of the situation analysis. implementation implementing level. They are not partners. based on a comprehensive school feeding situation analysis. However, they are based on data classifying districts according to malnutrition and poverty levels; targeting criteria are based on a combination of the levels of malnutrition, poverty, and some education indicators. 4C. Food modalities National guidelines and the food basket on food modalities correspond to the and food basket SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Policy Goal 5: These committees comprise parents, teachers, and Community Roles— community representatives. The School Feeding Reaching Beyond Management Committee is able to hold the meals Schools in Sri Lanka providers accountable in the case of unsatisfactory performance. However, no mechanisms are yet in place Policy Lever for them to hold higher levels accountable. x Community participation and accountability The role of the community should be clearly defined in a 5. Community Roles—Reaching Beyond Schools Is school feeding policy because community participation Emerging and ownership improve the school feeding program’s Indicators Score Justification chances of long-term sustainability. If the government 5A. Community School Feeding places the responsibility of sustaining the school feeding participates in school Management program on the community, the school feeding policy feeding program Committees—a should detail the guidelines, minimum standards, and design, subcommittee of support for the community to implement the program. implementation, the School management, and Development The school feeding policy can also include mechanisms evaluation and Committee—are for the community to hold the government accountable. contributes resources. currently in place and are active in the At the school level, a school management committee implementation of may be set up comprising parents, teachers, and students the school feeding that acts as a liaison between the school and community program. They and that manages the school feeding program. Care comprise parents, should be taken not to overburden the community, teachers, and because in some cases the community may introduce fees community to support the local school feeding program, which can representatives. The School Feeding negatively impact enrollment rates. Community-assisted Management school feeding programs are usually most successful in Committee is able food-secure areas. to hold meal providers In Sri Lanka, School Feeding Management Committees— accountable in the a subcommittee of the School Development case of Committee—are currently in place and are active in the unsatisfactory implementation of the school feeding program. The performance. establishment and functioning of School Health However, no Promotion Committees are regularized through MoE mechanisms are yet in place for them to Circular No. 2007/21 on the School Health Promotion hold higher levels Programme.8 Moreover, MoE Circular No. 2015/01 accountable. clarifies the responsibilities related to school feeding. The responsibilities include checking the quality and quantity of the food, regular and timely implementation of the program, and the impact of school feeding through indicators such as school attendance rates and nutrition To view the scores for all indicators and policy goals in status of students. one table, please refer to Appendix 1. 8 http://www.moe.gov.lk/english/index.php?option=com_circular&view=circ ular&id=50. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Conclusion Based on the above findings and results of discussions with stakeholders, the majority of the policy goals in Sri Lanka are at the “Emerging” stage. It is noteworthy that in many indicators, Sri Lanka is very close to being at ‘’Established’’ stage. The Design and Implementation policy goal, however, is already at the “Established” level. It is important here to stress that the SABER framework focuses on policy and the systems level and is not an assessment of the implementation side of the school feeding program. The following policy options represent possible areas in which school feeding could be strengthened in Sri Lanka, based on the conclusions of this report. Policy Options There is recognition of the need for developing a technical policy for the national school feeding program; in addition to policy, technical and financial support will be needed from donors and stakeholders to ensure implementation. Additionally, there is a need to further look into and develop the alternative implementation modalities currently used in the school feeding program in order to identify the most effective and feasible modality in line with the specific contexts and situations in different schools and the distinct characteristics of various parts of the country . Where feasible, Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) needs to be further strengthened and integrated into the school program. Linkages should be made between small holder farmers and schools, especially in rural areas, but also within the urban context. Additional linkages between the school feeding program and other social safety nets in the country are necessary to ensure that, when needed, beneficiaries can smoothly transition into another safety net upon graduating from school. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 14 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Appendix 1 Table 1. Levels of Development of SABER School Feeding Indicators and Policy Goals in Sri Lanka Systems Approach for Better Education Results: School Feeding Policy Framework STAGE OVERALL SCORE PER POLICY LEVER INDICATOR DOMAIN Latent Emerging Established Advanced Policy Goal 1: Policy frameworks School feeding included in published national-level poverty reduction strategy National-level poverty or equivalent national policy reduction strategy or School feeding included (including specifications as equivalent national There is recognition of in published national-level to w here school feeding w ill strategy as w ell as school feeding as an School feeding discussed poverty reduction strategy be anchored and w ho w ill sectoral policies and education and/or social by members and partners or equivalent national implement and strategies (education protection intervention, during preparation of policy (including accompanied by targets sector plan, nutrition but school feeding is not national-level poverty specifications as to w here and/or milestones set by the policy, social protection yet included in the reduction strategy, school feeding w ill be government); published policy) identify school published national-level equivalent national anchored and w ho w ill sectoral policies or feeding as an poverty reduction policy, or sectoral policies implement); published strategies have clearly education and/or social strategy, equivalent and strategies but not yet sectoral policies or defined objectives and protection intervention, national policy, or clearly defining sectoral policies and published strategies have clearly sectoral responsibilities, E defined objectives and including w hat school objectives and sectoral strategies sectoral responsibilities feeding can and cannot M responsibilities Overarching policies achieve, and aligned w ith E the national-level poverty for school feeding - sound alignment reduction strategy or R equivalent national strategy w ith the national A technical policy related to school G policy An evidence-based technical policy related feeding is published, I outlining the objectives, to school feeding rationale, scope, design, N outlines the objectives, rationale, scope, A technical policy related funding and sustainability of G to school feeding is the program and design, and funding published, outlining the comprehensively covering and sustainability of the There is recognition of A technical policy and objectives, rationale, all four other policy goals program and the need for a technical situation analysis under scope, design, funding w ith a strategy for local comprehensively policy related to school development by the and sustainability of the production and sourcing, addresses all four other feeding, but one has not relevant sectors that program and covering including links w ith policy goals yet been developed or address school feeding some aspects of all four agriculture development and (institutional capacity published other policy goals, small holder farmers; policy and coordination, including links w ith is informed by a situation financial capacity, agriculture development analysis of needs and design and aligned w ith national poverty implementation, and reduction strategies and community relevant sectoral policies participation) and strategies Policy Goal 2: Financial Capacity School feeding is included in the national planning process and is fully funded There is recognition of the School feeding is included through a national budget need to include school in the national planning School feeding is line consistent w ith the feeding in the national included in the national process and is fully funded school feeding policy and E planning process, but this through a national budget National budget line(s) has not yet happened; the planning process and line; all ministries involved situation analysis including M and funding are national funding is options for engaging w ith Governance of the allocated to school government is fully reliant stable through a budget in the program the private sector; budget E on external funds and implementation have a national school feeding; funds are line but unable to cover lines and plans also exist at feeding program - disbursed to the does not have provision in all needs; there is no budget line or funds regional and school levels, R the national budget to allocated; budget lines stable funding and implementation levels allocate resources to budget line at regional also exist at regional and sufficient to cover all the G budgeting (national, district and/or and school levels; expenses of running the school) in a timely and school feeding; there is existing school feeding school levels; school program ; school feeding I recognition of the need for feeding funds are effective manner mechanisms for funds are disbursed to disbursed to the funds are disbursed to the N the implementation implementation levels in a disbursing funds to the levels intermittently implementation levels in a timely and effective manner G implementation levels, but timely and effective and implementers have the these are not yet in place manner capacity to plan and budget as w ell as request resources from the central level Policy Goal 3: Institutional Capacity and Coordination Multisectoral steering committee from at least three sectors (e.g. education, social protection, Multisectoral steering agriculture, health, local committee from at least government, w ater) tw o sectors (e.g. School feeding Multisectoral steering Sectoral steering coordinates implementation education, social coordination - strong committee coordinates Any multisectoral steering committee coordinates of a national school feeding protection, agriculture, partnerships and implementation of a committee coordination implementation of a policy; this government-led health, local government, inter-sector national school feeding efforts are currently nonsystematic national school feeding committee provides w ater) coordinates coordination policy policy comprehensive coordination implementation of a (across international national school feeding agencies, NGOs, the private policy sector and local business E representatives as w ell) and M is part of a w ider committee on school health and nutrition E A school feeding unit A fully staffed school A fully staffed school R exists at the national feeding unit w ith a clear feeding unit exists at the level, but it has limited mandate exists at the national level, based on an G A specific school feeding resources and limited national level, based on National school feeding unit does not yet exist at staff numbers and lacks an assessment of staffing assessment of staffing and I management unit and resources needs, w ith a accountability the national level; a clear mandate; w hile and resources needs; clear mandate, and pre- and N coordination betw een the coordination coordination mechanisms Management and structures are in place, national, regional/local (if mechanisms betw een betw een the national, in-service training; G accountability coordinating w ith coordination mechanisms applicable), and schools the national, regional/local (if structures, including school level structures betw een the national, is lacking regional/local (if applicable), and school staffing - strong regional/local (if applicable), applicable), and school level are in place and institutional and school level are in place level are in place, they functioning in most framew orks for and fully functioning are not fully functioning instances implementation National guidance on Mechanisms for All schools have a required mechanisms School level managing school feeding Most schools have a mechanism to manage for managing school management and at the school level are mechanism to manage school feeding, based on feeding are available at accountability non-uniform and national school feeding, based on national guidance, w ith preand the school level, but structures are in place guidance on this is national guidance in-service training for these are not yet lacking relevant staff implemented fully SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 15 SRI LANKA ǀ SCHOOL FEEDING POLICIES SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2015 Policy Goal 4: Design and Implementation The M&E plan for school feeding is integrated into national monitoring or The M&E plan for school A functional monitoring information management feeding is integrated into and evaluation (M&E) The importance of M&E is A government M&E plan systems and data collection national monitoring or system is in place as recognised, but exists for school feeding and reporting occurs information management part of the structure of government systems are w ith intermittent data recurrently at national, systems and data the lead institution and not yet in place for M&E collection and reporting regional and school levels; collection and reporting used for of school feeding occurring especially at analysed information is occurs recurrently at implementation and implementation the national level shared and used to refine national and regional feedback and update programs; levels baseline is carried out and program evaluations occur periodically Targeting criteria and a The need for targeting is targeting methodology Targeting criteria and a Program design recognised, but a exists and is implemented targeting methodology is Targeting criteria and a identifies appropriate situation analysis has not corresponding to the being developed targeting methodology target groups and yet been undertaken that national school feeding corresponding to the exists and is implemented targeting criteria assesses school feeding policy and situation analysis corresponding to the needs and neither national school feeding corresponding to the (including costings for E policy; a situation national school feeding national school feeding targeting criteria nor a analysis assessing policy and a situation various targeting and S policy and the situation targeting methodology designs); M&E information needs is incomplete as analysis assessing needs analysis has been established as yet is used to refine and update T Quality assurance of yet targeting and coverage on a programming and periodic basis A targeting, National standards on food B modalities, and National standards on modalities and the food procurement design, Food modalities and food modalities and the National standards on basket have been L ensuring design that the food basket food basket have been food modalities and the developed and correspond I is both needs-based correspond to the There is recognition of the developed and food basket have been to objectives, local habits and cost-effective objectives, local habits need for national correspond to tw o or developed and correspond and tastes, availability of S and tastes, availability standards for food more of the follow ing: to objectives, local habits local food, food safety of local food, food modalities and the food objectives, local habits and tastes, availability of (according to WHO H safety (according to basket, but these do not and tastes, availability of local food, food safety guidelines), and nutrition E WHO guidelines), and exist yet local food, food safety (according to WHO content requirements; M&E nutrition content (according to WHO guidelines), and nutrition information is used to refine D requirements guidelines), and nutrition content requirements and update food modalities content requirements and food basket on a periodic basis National standards on National standards on procurement and procurement and logistics Procurement and logistics arrangements National standards on arrangements have been logistics arrangements have been developed procurement and logistics developed and are based on are based on procuring and are based on three arrangements have been procuring as locally as as locally as possible, There is recognition of the or more of the follow ing: developed and are based possible, taking into account taking into account the need for national procuring as locally as on procuring as locally as the costs, the capacities of costs, the capacities of standards for possible, taking into possible, taking into implementing parties, the implementing parties, procurement and logistics account the costs, the account the costs, the production capacity in the the production capacity arrangements, but these capacities of capacities of implementing country, the quality of the in the country, the do not exist yet implementing parties, parties, the production food, and the stability of the quality of the food, and the production capacity capacity in the country, pipeline; M&E information is the stability of the in the country, the the quality of the food, and used to refine and update pipeline quality of the food, and the stability of the pipeline procurement and logistics the stability of the arrangements pipeline Policy Goal 5: Community roles--reaching beyond schools The school feeding A school feeding The school feeding management committee E management committee Community Community participates Systems and management committee comprises comprises representatives M in school feeding accountability exists but parent and of teachers, parents, and participation and program design, mechanisms are not yet community member representatives of community members and E accountability - teachers, parents, and implementation, in place for consultation participation could be has clearly defined strong community management and w ith parents and strengthened and community members and responsibilities and periodic R participation and communities have ow nership evaluation and community members on aw areness on the accountability training. Accountability G contributes resources the design, monitoring opportunity to monitor mechanisms are in place by (teachers, parents, (in-kind, cash or as and feedback of the and feedback on the mechanisms to hold w hich communities can hold I children) school feeding programs labor) school feeding program school feeding program is accountable at the school school feeding programs N lacking accountable at the school, level regional, and national levels G SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 16 Bundy, D. A. P. 2011. “Rethinking School Health: A Key Acknowledgments Component of Education for All.” Directions in SABER-SF methodology is part of a joint World Bank Development. World Bank, Washington, DC. Group and World Food Programme effort to help Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. 2012. countries strengthen their education system policies and Labour Force Survey-Annual Report, 2012. 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Human Development reports. http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/trends UNICEF. 2012. National Nutrition and Micronutrient Survey. http://www.unicef.org/srilanka/MNS_Report-28.02.2013.pdf Whaley, S. E., M. Sigman, C. Neumann, N. Bwibo, D. Guthrie, R. E. Weiss, S. Alber, and S. P. Murphy. 2003. “The Impact of Dietary Intervention on the Cognitive Development of Kenyan School Children.” Journal of Nutrition 133 (11): 3965S–71S. World Bank, 2012a. World Bank Data – Population (annual %). http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW/countrie s/LK?display=default World Bank, 2012b. World Bank Data - Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 18 www.worldbank.org/education/saber The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative produces comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems. SABER evaluates the quality of education policies against evidence-based global standards, using new diagnostic tools and detailed policy data. The SABER country reports give all parties with a stake in educational results—from administrators, teachers, and parents to policy makers and business people—an accessible, objective snapshot showing how well the policies of their country's education system are oriented toward ensuring that all children and youth learn. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 19