Effect of Nutrition on Learning among Preschool Children in Chemoge Zone

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue IV, April 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Effect of Nutrition on Learning among Preschool Children in Chemoge Zone

Winrose Cherret¹, Wycliffe Mugun^2
1Department of Early Childhood, District Centre for Early Childhood Education, Kenya
²Department of Economics, Kaimosi Friends University College, Kenya

Abstract-Nutrition is an important element in children’s growth and development which includes: physical, cognitive and emotional development. The problem of the malnutrition and its effect on brain development, physical and intellectual functioning has tremendous implications. However, owing to the fact that there are limited studies on nutrition and learning, various studies indicate divergent views on the effect of nutrition on learning among preschool children. For this reason, it is not clear whether or not nutrition affects learning in chemoge zone. The main purpose of the study was to find out the effect of nutrition on learning among preschool children in Chemoge Zone. Thirteen public schools and seven private schools, a total of twenty were sampled out in the study. The study findings on the status of nutrition on learning among preschool children revealed that 25% of children took their meals in the kitchen, 50 % of the children took their meals in the makeshift structure and 25 % in the classrooms. Results on extent of nutrition on learning indicated that zero was being financed by the school and NGO, a quarter by parents and NGO, a half by parents and a quarter by the school. Also, the figure indicated that 25% of the school feeding program was financed by the school, parents 50 %, parents and NGO 25 % and school and NGO zero percent. The study concluded that when food is balanced, served in appropriate quantity and within the recommended intervals or frequency children are able to grow, develop well and attain their potential. The study thus recommended that parents should be sensitized on the importance of feeding programs so that they would pay for the meals especially for those in schools that do not provide feeding program.

Keywords: Nutrition, Learning, Chemoge zone, Kenya.

I. INTRODUCTION

The food and agricultural organization(FAO) stated that almost 1025million people globally were chronically hungry(FAO, 2006) most of them being from developing countries and about 60% are children. According to millennium development goals in relation to hunger and malnutrition, the goals had not been met by 2015.The Jomtien declaration in (1990) and Dakar Framework for Action in 2000 clearly spells out that it is a fundamental right for every person this includes children to access educational opportunities to satisfy their basic learning needs.

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