The Cost Effectiveness of Food in the Additional Food Plan (AFP/SMP) in Malaysian Primary Schools

The whole study involves two phases and takes 60 days to complete. The first phase is in the form of interactional observation and the second phase is in the form of quasi experimental study with the design of groups similar to pre-test and post-test. Three groups of the AFP (Additional Food Plan) students had treatment and one group of students was without AFP as a controlled group. The treatment given are in the form of food which cost RM 1.80 (G1), RM 2.30 (G2) and RM 2.80 (G3) respectively. Every group consists of 6 students from primary 1 until primary 6. This study is aimed to analyze the cost effectiveness of food in the Additional Food Plan. The analysis from the coupled t-test evaluated on one aspect of cognitive domain (academic achievement) and eight aspects of affective domain shows that the mean of the group of students without the AFP is higher compared to the students treated with the AFP. However from the aspects of achievement increase the AFP students showed greater increase. The analysis of the comparison of the food cost of AFP/SMP discovered that students of AFP (G2) who are allocated RM 2.30 for an individual meal recorded the highest Index Value that is 5.69 compared to the other given treatment and also the controlled group. Thus with the cost of RM 2.30 the treatment is able to provide the best effect for the students in improving academic achievement, learning process and self-management. Thus, the impact of the AFP program is significant in generating high quality student human capital for the nation.