A school in Nepal found ways to make their lunch program for students work better and last longer. Researchers talked to students, parents, teachers, and school leaders to understand what made the program successful. The key was getting everyone involved—teachers, parents, local government, and school committees all working together. By sharing costs and having teachers help run the program, the school was able to feed more students than the government originally planned. This study shows that when a whole community works together, school lunch programs can help more children stay healthy and do better in school.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How can school lunch programs in Nepal be set up in a way that lasts long-term and actually helps students?
  • Who participated: Students, parents, teachers, school leaders, and lunch program managers from one community school in Chitwan District, Nepal. The exact number of people interviewed wasn’t specified in the study.
  • Key finding: When schools involve teachers, create special committees to manage lunch programs, get help from local government, and have everyone work together, they can serve lunch to more students than originally planned and keep the program running successfully.
  • What it means for you: If you’re involved in schools or community programs, this suggests that teamwork and shared responsibility are more important than money alone. However, this study looked at just one school, so results may not apply everywhere.

The Research Details

Researchers used a qualitative case study approach, which means they focused deeply on one school to understand how things really work in practice. They talked to different groups of people—students, parents, teachers, school committee members, and lunch workers—through group discussions and one-on-one interviews. They then looked for patterns and themes in what people said to understand what made the lunch program successful.

This type of study is good for understanding the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind programs, rather than just measuring numbers. The researchers were part of a larger project called the NORHED Rupantaran Project that had been working with this school since 2016, so they had deep knowledge of the situation.

Understanding how to make school lunch programs work in real communities is important because many children in Nepal don’t get enough good food. By studying what actually works in practice—not just what looks good on paper—researchers can help other schools create programs that last and truly help students. This approach values the voices of everyone involved, from students to teachers to parents.

This study has some strengths: it involved many different perspectives (students, parents, teachers, leaders), it was based on long-term involvement with the school, and it used careful methods to analyze what people said. However, it studied only one school, so we can’t be sure the findings apply to all schools in Nepal or other countries. The study didn’t specify exactly how many people participated, which makes it harder to understand the full scope. This is exploratory research meant to provide ideas for other schools, not definitive proof.

What the Results Show

The study found five main things that made the lunch program work well: First, teachers actively participated in running the program, not just students eating the food. Second, a special committee was created just to manage the lunch program. Third, the local government provided money to help pay for food. Fourth, everyone in the school community—students, parents, teachers, leaders, and lunch workers—collaborated and communicated regularly. Fifth, the school had clear plans for how to keep the program going in the future.

One impressive finding was that the school managed to serve lunch to students through grade eight, even though the government only funded lunch for students through grade five. They did this by having multiple groups share the costs and responsibilities. The school created what researchers called a ’tripolar cost-sharing model,’ meaning three different sources of money (government, local community, and school) worked together to pay for the expanded program.

Teachers played a surprisingly important role. Rather than lunch being something separate from school, teachers helped oversee it, which made it feel like part of the school’s mission to help students succeed. This teacher involvement seemed to make the program feel more important and helped it stay organized.

The study also found that having good communication between all groups was essential. Parents needed to understand why the program mattered. School leaders needed to support it with time and resources. Lunch workers needed to feel valued and trained. When all these pieces came together, the program ran smoothly and students actually benefited from better nutrition.

Previous research has shown that malnutrition is a big problem for school children in Nepal, which is why the government started the lunch program in 2020. This study builds on that by showing that simply providing food isn’t enough—how the program is organized and who participates matters just as much. Other studies have suggested that community involvement helps programs succeed, and this research confirms that idea in the specific context of school meals.

This study looked at only one school, so we don’t know if these strategies would work in other schools with different situations. The study didn’t count exactly how many people participated in interviews and discussions. The research was done in one specific district (Chitwan) in Nepal, so results might be different in other regions with different resources or challenges. The study was based on people’s reports about what happened, not on measuring actual health improvements in students. Finally, because this is a case study of one school’s success, we don’t know what challenges other schools might face when trying similar approaches.

The Bottom Line

If you’re running or planning a school lunch program, focus on: (1) Getting teachers involved in planning and oversight, not just serving food; (2) Creating a dedicated committee to manage the program; (3) Building partnerships with local government for funding; (4) Involving parents and community members in decision-making; (5) Planning for long-term sustainability from the start. These recommendations are based on one school’s experience and appear promising, but should be adapted to your specific community’s needs and resources.

School administrators, teachers, and parent groups in Nepal and similar communities should pay attention to these findings. Local government officials responsible for education and nutrition programs would find this useful. Non-profit organizations working on child nutrition and education would benefit from these insights. However, this study is specific to Nepal’s context, so schools in very different settings may need to adapt these ideas. Students with severe health conditions should still work with doctors about nutrition needs.

School lunch programs typically need 6-12 months to become well-organized and show benefits. Students may show improved attention and energy within weeks of regular meals, but improvements in growth and long-term health outcomes take months to years to become visible. The sustainability strategies mentioned in this study are long-term commitments that need ongoing effort.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly meal attendance and note which students participate in the lunch program. Record simple observations about student energy levels and classroom participation on days with and without lunch. Monitor how many different community members (teachers, parents, committee members) are actively involved each month.
  • Use the app to schedule regular meetings between teachers, parents, and lunch program managers. Set reminders for committee meetings. Track which community members are contributing (time, money, or resources) to the program. Create a simple feedback system where students can rate meals and suggest improvements.
  • Monthly: Review attendance and participation rates. Quarterly: Assess whether all stakeholder groups are still engaged. Annually: Evaluate whether the program is sustainable and plan for the next year. Track changes in student attendance at school and any feedback about student health or energy levels.

This study describes one school’s experience with a lunch program in Nepal and should not be considered medical advice. While school meals can support child health, they are not a substitute for medical care or treatment of nutritional deficiencies. Parents and educators should consult with health professionals about individual student nutrition needs. Results from this single school case study may not apply to all schools or communities. Anyone implementing similar programs should adapt strategies to their specific context and resources. This research is exploratory and meant to inform program planning, not provide definitive health recommendations.