A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Public Administration and Management
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Science in
Health Monitoring and Evaluation Degree of Mzumbe University
This study aimed at evaluating the impact of School Health Programme (SHP) in
primary schools with a focus on learning outcomes. The general objective of the
evaluation study was to determine the learning outcomes of SHP to primary school
children in the country, and its specific objectives were: to determine the contribution
of SHP towards reduction of students‟ school dropout rate; to determine the
contribution of SHP for improving academic performance to primary school children;
and to examine the impact of SHP to the reduction of disease burden and overall
improvement of health conditions of primary school children. The study was also
guided by three hypotheses which were tested in the study. The hypotheses were: there
is association between SHP and reduction of students‟ school dropout rate caused by
diseases or health problems; there is association between SHP and improvement of
academic performance to primary school children; and there is association between
SHP and reduction of disease burden and overall improvement of heath conditions of
primary school children.
The approach used in this evaluation was summative, and the study used a quantitative
observational cross sectional study as its evaluation design. The focus of measurement
and evaluation in the programme theory was impact, and the dimensions used were the
burden of disease, dropout rate, and learning outcomes which accounted for
intermediate and dependent variables respectively. The study used cluster random
sampling technique in the selection of study units, where the clusters were divisions,
and wards. Data were collected using structured questionnaires which were distributed
to 100 primary schools, 50 schools from each district of study. The analysis of
inferential statistics was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)
analysis tool Version 20 by doing cross tabulation and chi square test for the purpose of
testing the hypotheses developed. Also, the analysis was done using Excel Worksheet
where tables and charts (bar charts) were developed for the purpose of fulfilling the
specific objectives of the study.
The findings have revealed positive changes in both districts. In Misungwi district
school dropout rate caused by diseases or health problems has decreased from 4.43% in
the year 2011 to 0.00% in 2016. The percentage of students who passed STD VII final
examination has increased from 63.21 in the year 2011 to 78.87 in the year 2016, and
the burden of disease has decreased from 15.93% in the 2011 to 7.21% in 2016. In
Kwimba district school dropout rate caused by diseases or health problems has
decreased from 5.31% in the year 2011 to 0.00% in the year 2016. The percentage of
students who passed STD VII final exam has increased from 54.01 in the 2011 to 77.34
in 2016, and the burden of disease has decreased from 12.11% in the 2011 to 5.28% in
2016