School feeding does reduce drop-out, especially for grades two through four where effects were significant – between 1.8% and 2.7%. Girls drop-out follows similar trends, but are only significant in grades four and five, in both cases more marked than the general tendency. This is an essential indicator, and the result reveals that school feeding positively influences pupils‟ and parents‟ willingness (and capacity) to stay in school.

The survey data shows significant anthropometric effects on girls, whereas there were no measured effects on boys. Girls benefitting from the SMP are heavier than girls who are not by approximately 1 kg. This is statistically significant evidence of a positive impact on girls‟ weight. There was also evidence, though less marked, for increased height of girls in the SMP, by up to 1.56 cm. No significant effect on girls Mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC) was seen. The boys‟ results are less encouraging, with no effects on height, weight or MUAC.