SCHOOL CANTEEN MANAGEMENT AND IT’S FINANCIAL INTERVENTION

SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE DISTRICT 8 TARLAC WEST B

A Thesis Proposal
Presented to the Faculty of the
Graduate School of the College of Teacher Education
Center of Development in Teacher Education
Tarlac State University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Degree

CINDERELLA E. ESCAÑO
November 2019
 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

“Don’t waste food, it’s like wasting one of the most precious things given by God to us”.

The researcher has been an Elementary school teacher for a year. During these year, she

has been assigned to handle grade six level as a subject teacher. She teach Technology and

Livelihood Education and Filipino subject and has been given various leadership including being

a School Canteen Manager and School Based Feeding Program focal person.

“The single best difference between financial success and financial failure is how well you

manage your money; to master your money, you must manage your money” these are the powerful

words of wisdom given by T. Harv Eker in 2015. This guiding principle is so simple to be uttered

but hard to be enforced. Tough, risky, and challenging are the descriptions suited in managing

financial resources; it has to be substantiated with knowledge and skills in assessing the suitability

of various financial variables and factors in a deep, demanding and fast changing financial world.

It was observed that as a school canteen manager, one of my important goal and task in our

school is to ensure the learners health and welfare of our pupils while inside the school premises.

Nutritious foods play a major role on child’s growth and development as accordingly to the study

of Cruz (2013). In order to function properly, the brain needs a constant supply of healthy fats,

proteins, carbohydrates, water, vitamins and minerals. The amino acids found in high protein foods

are responsible for firing of brain’ chemical messengers called neurotransmitter, while sugars

found in fruits and vegetable power the brain. When a child is deficient in any one of the foods

sources, he might seem confused, irritable, distracted or apathetic.

Unfortunately, excessive intake of foods high in fats, calories and sugar might lead to

acquire a lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hepatic steatosis

according to the recent studies it can all began at a very young age, non – deficiency anemia can

be a problem for some children. Iron is an oxygen carrying component of blood. Children need

iron for expanding blood volume which breads and cereals are best sources of dietary iron. Most

children eat diets that are adequate in Vitamin A and C. When children do not eat enough fruits

and vegetables they run the risk of having low intakes of vitamin A and C Complex vitamins (The

Health Magazine, 2013). Department of Education (DepEd) have three category of foods that are

serve as reference under the DepEd Order no. 13, s. 2017. Green Category are foods that serve

every day. These foods and drinks should always be available in the menu to promote healthy diets

in school since these contains wide range of nutrients, generally low in saturated fat, added sugar,

sodium and no trans-fat per serving portion. Yellow category are foods serve once or twice a week.

Foods and drinks that contain in high amounts of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, few valuable

nutrients and excess calories ( if eaten in large amounts). Lastly, the Red Category foods that not

be sold in a healthy canteen. Foods and Drinks that are high in saturated fat, added sugar, sodium

and have transfat per serving portion, low in vitamins and minerals and excess in calories ( if eaten

in large amounts).

There are two types of school canteen management in the Philippine public elementary the

first is the cooperative type and the second is the school canteen manage type. Currently, the first

type is the cooperative management that is implemented in most schools because it is more service

oriented, student – focused and teacher – based management, which would allow the school to be

more decisive to resource generation and public service implementation (Sandoval, 2013:22)
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A few years back, all public elementary school in the Philippines were ordered to put up a

canteen through a Department of Education Memorandum. There were guidelines to be followed

according to the memorandum such as the school canteen shall help eliminate malnutrition among

pupils, it shall serves as avenue of the development of desirable eating habit of pupils.

Service should be the main consideration for operating a school canteen. Profit shall only be

secondary since the clientele are pupils are dependent only on their meager allowance from their

parents. Reporting and accounting of the proceeds from the operation of a school canteen shall be

made by the parties concerned to emphasize transparency and accountability. It was stated on the

Department of Education Policy that school canteen shall adhere to professional management and

sound business practices as well as to safety and security measures.

The Department of Education is strongly committed to support student’s health and well-

being through its curriculum in schools and a range of initiatives that offer opportunities that

promote physically fit individuals who love eating healthy food. Schools are encouraged to

implement comprehensive health and well- being programs, including food and nutrition

education. The establishment and operation of school canteen is important in developing love and

interest in buying nutritious and healthy food among students, faculty and school personnel,

making it possible for them to enjoy nutritious and healthy food and affordable prices during the

school days. The canteen should also provide the pupils a variety of foods and dishes that enhance

their skills and knowledge. (DepEd Order no. 8 of 2007)

Ladia (2013) stated that recognizing importance of eating the right kind of food in

children’s growth and development many schools today accept food service as an integral part of

the school program. It is imperative therefore, that a child who spends the greater part of his/her

waking hours in school be given food that are nutritious and economical.

There are plenty of students with meager allowance for snack in the public schools, Therefore it is

necessary that daily food served in the school canteen assured to be within the means of the

children. Consideration are given to the nutritive value of the food items being served to them.

However, there are other factors in the process in which are not given attention which may

adversely affect the school’s total development program especially if the canteen is being

mismanaged by a group or an individual.

Presently, there is an existing problem in the operation of most school canteen, about issues

on profit transparency and accountability were failed to be settled until today. Majority of the

cooperative members wanted the school canteen manager to change. Aside from mismanagement,

the need of the facilities is great concern, facilities are needed to provide quality services which is

the reason why customers keep patronizing its products and services. The students who are the

vital component of the school development program suffer. The canteen, in its mission to nourish

the children’s mind and provide quality service failed to accomplish its target goal which is evident

in the complaints raised and presented to the board. The dilemma 5 continuous to exist and remain

unsolved. The quality and quantity of food served is also affected. This result in getting more

complaints from the canteen’s clientele.

This study aimed to assess the canteen management and its financial intervention practices

as basis for an enhanced handbook in selected public elementary schools in Tarlac City District 8

during schools 2019 – 2020.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:

1. How is the status of the school canteen management described as perceived by the teachers,

students and canteen personnel may serve of:

1.1 Programs;

1.2 Personnel;

1.3 Location;

1.4 Services;

1. 5 Amount and Cost;

2. How is the financial management of the canteen be described by mean:

2.1 Sources of Fund

2.2 Uses of Fund

2.3 Internal Contract

2.4 Profit viability and transparency

3. How does the responses of teacher, students and canteen personnel differ?

4. What financial intervention prepared to.

Significance of the Study

The findings and result of the present study would primarily benefits the pupils and might

as well teachers and head manager. Likewise, it was the objectives of this study to evaluate the

difficulties encountered by the students as to the kind of service that they received and identifying

the aspect of the school canteen management and its financial intervention that should be

improved. Moreover, this research may provide opportunities for reflective thought and thereby

enhance professionalism among members of the cooperative, so that they improve efficiency and

offer delicious yet affordable food. The result of this study could provide the management of the

cooperative with the information about the present status of the school canteen and to let them

know that the existing situation really affects the totality of the service that they are rendering.

The result of the study will also make a management realize the need to objectively solve the

problems encountered in the canteen operations. The findings may also serve as a guide for canteen

managers in the planning, preparation and implementation of their new programs. The study will

provide some insights and information on how they will manage the canteen for the benefit or the

customers such as the teachers and the pupils who are their main clients who must be served and

be satisfied.
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To the Division Superintendents. The result of the study could serve as baseline data on

conducting needs analysis towards improving the canteen operations of every school in respective

districts. This may also be of help in conducting group discussions in solving canteen operation

problems in Districts.

To the School Principals. The result of the study can help them in guiding the teachers

and personnel, specifically the canteen managers, in proper management and operation of the

canteen as part of the administrative arm and as one of the school’s tools in fulfilling its duties to

its major stakeholders, who are the students in their respective schools.

To the School canteen managers. The study will serve as guiding principle in its total

operations considering the quality and quantity of services to its client. The result of the study may

also serve as enlightenment for them as overseers to continuously improve their services and be of

help to clients bearing in mind their social responsibility and not to focus on profitability alone.

The study could also be of help for the canteen managers planning, preparation, and

implementation of their new programs.

To the Canteen staff. This study could provide opportunities for reflective thought and

thereby enhance professionalism among members of the canteen personnel, so that they may

improve efficiency at work and offer delicious yet affordable food.

To the Teachers and Personnel. The study may serve as information for them to help the

canteen manager in the operation of the canteen. This may also serve as eye – opener for them

actively take part in maintaining the good service of the canteen and be able to recognize its value

to the school.
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They may also be aware of their part as cooperative members and so they must imbibe the concept

of shared capital and resources with the sense of ownership and for them to also serve as tool in

improving the canteen services and patronizing its products and services.

Specifically, this study will benefit the different stakeholders as it may be an input which

can be of advantage to the following:

To other Education Administrators. The result of the study may be of great help in

improving the effectiveness in their respective area of canteen operations.

To the Students. The study may give result in understanding regarding helping out in

patronizing the canteen services and appreciating its effort in providing nutritious foods and better

services for the benefit of the students.

To other Researchers. The data gathered in the study may serve as baseline and reference

for future studies related to the present study and for other researchers to look into other variables

not covered within the bound of this study.

Scope and Delimitation

The study will focus on the assessment of the canteen management practices as perceived

by the teachers and canteen personnel of selected public elementary schools in Tarlac City District

8 of Tarlac City namely San Pablo Elementary School, San Vicente Elementary School Main and

Annex, Apalang Elementary School, Carangian Elementary School.

This study will be limited to the assessment of school canteen management practices in

terms of quality and quantity of food served, kinds of services rendered to the customers, prices of

the commodities, utilization of canteen facilities, transparency of profit, and efficiency of coop

staff.

The study also described the socio economic profile of purposive selected School Canteen

Management and Its Financial intervention in San Pablo, Tarlac for the School Year 2019 – 2020.

Finally, an enhanced handbook on canteen operation standards shall be the output of the study.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined to have a clearer and better understanding of the study,

lexical and operational meaning were used in defining the terminologies.

Accountability. The fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility.

Anemia. A condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the

blood, resulting in pallor and weariness.

Canteen Manager. Responsible for the profitable management and operation of the

school canteen according to the policies and procedures.

Clientele. The customers of a canteen, bar or shop.

Cooperative School. Characterized by the cooperative values and principles which

underpin the practice of all co – operative organizations.

Department of Education (DepEd). The executive department of the Philippine

government responsible for ensuring access to promote equity in, and improving the quality of

basic education.

Diabetes. Disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin

is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in

the blood and urine.

Financial Intervention. Should take place as soon as someone’s financial decisions

become destructive to themselves or people around them.

Neurotransmitter. A chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the

arrival of a nerve impulse.

Quality. The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind.

Quantity. The amount or number of a material or immaterial thing not usually estimated

by spatial measurement.

School Canteen. A great place to promote an enjoyment of healthy eating.

School Manage. Staff carry out efficient stock management, accounting and financial

procedures and are supported in these processes.

Steotosis. Infiltration of liver cells with fat, associated with disturbance of the metabolism

by alcoholism, malnutrition pregnancy or drug therapy.

Transfat . Also called trans – unsaturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids, is a type of

unsaturated fat that occurs in small amounts in meat and milk fat. (Merriam Webster Dictionary).