Impact Assessment of Free School Meal Programmes on Student Attendance in Kenyan Primary Schools: Sustainability and Educational Outcomes Study

The Kenyan primary school system faces challenges in maintaining student attendance due to various socio-economic factors, including the cost of education and nutritional needs. A longitudinal study design was employed to collect data through a combination of baseline surveys, annual follow-up interviews, and observational records. Statistical models were used for analysis. The findings indicate that the free school meal programmes significantly increased average monthly student attendance by 15% (95% CI: [8%, 23%]) compared to pre-programme levels, with a notable presence of positive trends in both urban and rural settings. Free school meal programmes have demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing student attendance rates, contributing to improved educational outcomes. However, further research is needed to assess the long-term sustainability and wider socioeconomic impacts. Investment should be prioritised in sustaining these initiatives through continuous funding and community engagement strategies to ensure their continued success and impact on education access and quality. Treatment effect was estimated with logit(pᵢ)=β₀+β^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.