This essay argues that a ‘School Feeding Programme’, that practises ‘Onsite Feeding’ can achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, i.e. quality equitable life long learning for all learners. Conversely, a ‘Food for School Programme’ can increase enrolment of both boys and girls, however, it might fail to achieve quality learning and, furthermore, can develop a dependency mentality. Moreover, food delivered as aid is often used to pursue donors’ interests so recipient countries should be monitored, to ensure such aid is carefully directed to priority areas to achieve maximum benefit. Failure can result in recipient countries facing unintended consequences.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, food is considered a basic physiological need and higher-ordered needs can only be achieved if the basic needs are met. In the education context, for learners to concentrate on learning and for educational institutions to achieve high-quality learning, learners’ physiological needs i.e. food and water must be met before delivering teaching and learning activities. Therefore, different countries introduced ‘Food for Education’ in a form of ‘School Feeding Programme’ and ‘Food For schooling Programme’ to achieve quality education and to redistribute food to poor families.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Food as a Basic Human Need
3. Education Aid to Global South
4. Food Aid for Education
5. Conclusion
6. References
Objectives & Core Topics
This paper aims to critically evaluate 'Food for Education' initiatives, specifically comparing 'School Feeding Programmes' and 'Food for Schooling Programmes' through the lens of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and dependency theory to determine their effectiveness in achieving equitable quality education.
- The role of physiological needs in academic performance according to Maslow's theory.
- A comparative analysis of 'Onsite Feeding' versus 'Take-home' food rations.
- The impact of international food aid on recipient country dependency.
- Strategic implementation of aid to support Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Excerpt from the Book
Food as a Basic Human Need
According to Maslow’s classic hierarchy of needs, food is considered a basic need. Even though this theory has been considered by some behavioural scientists as quaint, artificial and without much contemporary theoretical importance in today’s world dominated by globalisation and consumerism and the desire to have new goods and services which have changed the ways the world has been viewed, in recent decades(Abulof 2017). Scholars and scientists still cannot deny that food, along with air and water, remains a basic human need (Douglas,et al 2011). The emergence of consumerism and globalisation only affects the higher-order needs, for example self-actualization, love, belongingness and esteem needs, and do not affect basic physiological needs i.e. food and water (Illustrated in Figs 1 and 2). For example, people desire to have different things in life but when starved, the desire for food automatically trumps all other needs, goals, and desires and dominates the person throughout the process (Douglas, et al, 2011). After satisfying hunger, people then try to satisfy other needs in a hierarchical order as displayed in the diagram (Refer to Figs 1 & 2). According to Abraham Maslow and modern scholars (for example, Abulof 2017; Douglas, et al, 2011), if the lower ordered needs are not met, individuals willstrive to achieve those before moving on to the higher-level needs. In this context of education, for learners to achieve quality education as defined by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, food as a basic physiological need must be provided to all learners (students). Only after achieving basic needs will a child (learner), strive to achieve higher-order needs which include quality learning or, simply, self-actualisation according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. For quality learning to occur, it is necessary that all learners have access to food.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical framework of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and outlines the argument that School Feeding Programmes are more effective than Food for Schooling Programmes in promoting quality education.
Food as a Basic Human Need: This section justifies the necessity of meeting physiological needs, such as nutrition, as a prerequisite for cognitive function and learning according to psychological theory.
Education Aid to Global South: This chapter analyzes how geopolitical interests often dictate the flow of educational aid and examines successful examples of strategic aid utilization, such as the case of India.
Food Aid for Education: This section provides a detailed comparison between 'Onsite Feeding' and 'Take-home' rations, highlighting their respective benefits, limitations, and the risk of fostering long-term dependency.
Conclusion: This final chapter summarizes the findings, reiterating that while food aid is essential, its implementation must prioritize quality learning and self-sufficiency to truly break the cycle of poverty.
Keywords
Food for Education, School Feeding Programme, Food for Schooling Programme, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Dependency Theory, Sustainable Development Goal 4, Global South, Educational Aid, Physiological Needs, Poverty, Quality Learning, Food Security, Student Retention, Self-sufficiency, Human Capital.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The work focuses on the critical analysis of 'Food for Education' initiatives, evaluating how different delivery models affect the quality of education and the development of recipient nations.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The central themes include the physiological requirements for learning, the geopolitical dynamics of international aid, the tension between enrollment and learning quality, and the risks of long-term dependency on external food aid.
What is the central research argument?
The paper argues that 'School Feeding Programmes' are superior to 'Food for Schooling Programmes' because they directly support learning concentration and foster long-term self-sufficiency rather than dependency.
Which theoretical frameworks are applied in the analysis?
The paper utilizes Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to explain the impact of hunger on learning and applies dependency theory to analyze the geopolitical implications of food aid.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the necessity of food for academic success, reviews the history and politics of global aid to the Global South, and contrasts the 'Onsite' versus 'Take-home' food distribution methods.
How would you characterize this work using keywords?
Key terms include Food for Education, Maslow’s Hierarchy, dependency theory, SDG 4, and sustainable agricultural development in the Global South.
How does the 'School Feeding Programme' differ from the 'Food for Schooling Programme'?
The 'School Feeding Programme' focuses on onsite, warm meals during the school day to boost immediate learning concentration, while the 'Food for Schooling Programme' provides dry take-home rations as an incentive for families to keep children enrolled.
What are the unintended consequences of food aid discussed by the author?
The author highlights risks such as donor-driven political agendas, the creation of dependency on aid rather than local production, and the potential for household-level misuse of food rations.
- Citar trabajo
- Norris Wangian (Autor), 2021, Maslow’s and Dependency Theorists Perspectives for Food for Schooling Programme and School Feeding Programme, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1064697
