Parents’ Socioeconomic Factors and Students’ Engagement in Learning in Tanzania: A Systematic Review of the Mediating Role of School Lunch Programs

Abstract

This systematic literature review examined the relationship between parents’ socioeconomic factors, school lunch programs, and students’ engagement in learning in Tanzanian government secondary schools. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework, the review analyzed empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 to assess the mediating role of school lunch programs in addressing socioeconomic disparities in learning engagement. Studies were sourced from Scopus, ERIC, JSTOR, Web of Science, PubMed, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar. A total of 42 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria, including 17 empirical studies conducted in Tanzania.The synthesis was informed by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, focusing on parents’ socioeconomic factors income, education, occupation, and household living conditions and students’ engagement in learning. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT, 2018). Findings indicate that parental socioeconomic conditions significantly influence students’ learning engagement, particularly attendance, concentration, and classroom participation. School lunch programs were found to play a critical mediating role by reducing hunger-related absenteeism, enhancing cognitive readiness, and promoting equitable learning opportunities. Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, demonstrates that school lunch programs help mitigate the adverse effects of low parental income and food insecurity on students’ engagement. However, the effectiveness of these programs is often constrained by inconsistent policy implementation and limited community contributions. The review concludes that integrating well-resourced and consistently implemented school lunch programs into the education system is essential for improving students’ engagement in learning and reducing inequalities rooted in socioeconomic disadvantage.