Social and cognitive development of school-based feeding beneficiaries in the new normal learning

This descriptive research was conducted to assess the social and cognitive development and its relation to the nutritional status of the grades IV-VI school- based feeding beneficiaries from the twelve elementary schools in South Brooke’s Point District, Brooke’s Point, Palawan. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentage, mean and Spearman’s rho correlation were used to analyze the data gathered through the use of researcher-made survey questionnaires administered to one hundred eighty (180) feeding beneficiaries and their parents. The mean age of the feeding beneficiary-respondents was eleven years old, majority are females, second child and in grade IV. Their parents were farmers with the average family income of P5, 385.00. The level of social development of the beneficiaries whether at home, studies and community as perceived by themselves and their parents for the components of friendliness was high; the extent of verbal expression was moderate; while the extent of play with others and exploratory behavior were high. The level of cognitive development of the beneficiaries whether at home, studies and community as perceived by themselves and their parents for the components of knowledge and disposition was high; but, for the skills and problem solving it was rated moderate. The nutritional status of the feeding beneficiaries had improved after the feeding program; however, the levels of social and cognitive development of the feeding beneficiaries were not related to their nutritional status. This implies that the school- based feeding program is not the only factor of the social and cognitive development of the school-based feeding beneficiaries. There are still other factors that help them develop these skills.