Good nutrition vital for children’s learning

The latest Ministry of Education Strategic Plan identifies programmes and projects for implementation to improve learning in schools.

Among the programmes and projects earmarked for implementation are the construction and equipping of schools, building of at least one boarding primary school in each constituency in the arid and semi-arid districts, establishment of a computer supply programme, establishment of a voucher system for the needy to ensure equity in access to education, and recruitment of teachers.

Other activities to be implemented are the integration of the early childhood development and education programme into basic education, enhancement of special needs education into basic education, curriculum development and review as well as new programmes for the enhancement of ICT education and basic education.

However, the plan misses one critical but crucial factor in learning - improving nutrition for learners.

Science has demonstrated that nutrition, and specific nutrients in particular, play a key role in cognitive development and performance in schools.

Studies have shown that children who eat a good breakfast perform better in the classroom (behaviourally as well as academically).

It is easy to see how it would be difficult to pay attention and learn with a tired and/or hungry body.

MALNUTRITION

Poor nutrition, on the other hand, contributes to disease, malnutrition, and child deaths.

Vitamin A deficiency specifically impacts the immune system. Ten per cent of the global burden of disease can be attributed to maternal and child under-nutrition.

Malnutrition contributes to a third of all child deaths worldwide. These have serious consequences on school performance.

They lead to higher absenteeism due to illness, poor health, cognitive and psychomotor underdevelopment, and low physical capacity.

Yet most of the food that we consume lacks micronutrients - vitamins and minerals - which, though required in small quantities, are essential for the normal functioning of body systems.

Diets in Kenya are typically deficient in one or more micronutrients particularly vitamin A, iron, iodine and zinc.

Among children, poor diets have contributed to widespread vitamin A deficiencies, stunting, and even obesity. Globally, 925 million people are undernourished, with children being the most visible victims.

A quarter of the world’s children live in Africa. Most of these, 550 million children, start each day lacking the nutrients their minds and bodies need to grow.

In Kenya, malnutrition rates are critical - 25 per cent of all children under five years are malnourished.

NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST

In some districts, a quarter of all children under five years are acutely malnourished and nine out of 10 children from poor households fail to complete their basic education because of malnutrition.

According to the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 26 per cent of the under-five children are stunted, 11 per cent are underweight, and 4 per cent are wasted.

While most parents will go to great lengths to ensure that they have paid school fees in full and in advance, bought all the required text and exercise books, and that the learners are well-dressed, many hardly put a similar effort in ensuring that their children have a nutritious breakfast.

According to a recent survey, although children do eat something for breakfast, it is not enough, with many only drinking tea.

A nutritious breakfast should contain a piece of fruit, tea with milk, and margarine spread on four slices of brown bread or with either porridge or sweet potatoes.

For the Ministry of Education’s strategic plan to have the desired impact on learning in schools, it should include programmes to improve nutrition for learners.

Prof Kimiywe is an associate professor at Kenyatta University and a nutrition consultant and researcher.