MATERIAL ON EFFECTS OF MALNUTRITION ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL NORTHERN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study is on effects of malnutrition on the academic performance of students in senior secondary school northern Nigeria. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected secondary school in Kano. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made principals, vice principals adm, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The EFA Global Monitoring Report (UNESCO 2011) states that more than a quarter of children below fifteen years of age in sub-Saharan Africa are underweight due to poor diet and malnutrition, making them more vulnerable to disease and less able to concentrate at school. Malnutrition is generally defined as a chronic condition which is a consequence of over- or under-consumption of any or several essential macro or micronutrients relative to the individual’s physiological and pathological requirements (Ecker and Nene 2012). Malnutrition is also a dangerous condition that develops when your body does not get enough nutrients to function properly. Poor nutrition can be caused by a lack of food or an unbalanced diet that’s missing or insufficient in one or more nutrients (Chinyoka and Naidu, 2013). Children who do not consume adequate amounts of key nutrients, including calcium, potassium and vitamin C may be unable to work to their full potential at school (Nabarro et al. 2012). A study by Connell (2010:127) revealed that 34 percent of low birth weight children were either repeating grades or placed in special education classrooms while only 14 percent of normal birth-weight children experienced the same outcomes. Another research also reports elevated levels of grade repetition as a result of low birth weight due to poor nutrition (Bray et al., 2010, Duncan et al., 2008). Knowing more about what nutritional deficiencies can lead to, in terms of learning, will help families to feed their children adequately to succeed in class. This shows that nutrition is of paramount importance in the academic performance of grade seven children.

Shrestha & Pathak (2012) as well as Brauw et al. (2012) concur that underfeeding in childhood was thought to hinder mental development solely by producing permanent structural damage to the brain. A child’s brain during the first three years of life is rapidly developing through generation of neurons, synaptogenesis, axonal and dendric growth, and synaptic pruning each of which build upon each other (Orazem et al., 2007:25). Any interruption in this process, such as trauma, stress, under nutrition, or lack of nutrients can have long-term effects on the brain’s structure and on the child’s socio-emotional development and academic performance. Thus, research has established that poor nutrition in early life can limit long term intellectual development (Lacour & Tissington 2011:525). Implicit to the above, children should not be exposed to malnutrition even at an early age for it has detrimental effects to their academic performance and their holistic development

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Thus protein energy malnutrition, iron deficiency, anaemia, Vitamin A deficiency, these poverties related conditions decrease resistance to disease in general. Malnutrition therefore causes illness, brain damage, delayed physical growth, delayed development of motor skills and delayed intellectual development. In a project carried out by the Institute of Central America and Panama in 2008, children and young adults in Guatemala who had received nutritional supplements at infancy were studied to assess the influence of early diet and poverty on later intellectual development. Individuals who regularly consumed a highly nutritious supplement called Atole performed well on most tests. But the performance of those given a less nutritious supplement called fresco varied with poverty level (Ferguson et al. 2012: 453). Evidently, good nutrition early in life can help counteract the destructive effects of poverty on intellectual development. Those who consumed Atole scored significantly higher than those who received Fresco, an indication that poor nutrition in infancy can subsequently undermine the benefits of schooling There is therefore ample evidence to support the view that early nutrition when children are already at school have strong beneficial effects on their ability to learn and conversely, poorly fed children find it difficult to concentrate at school, which provides strong support for school feeding schemes in poor countries and communities. Base on this background the researcher wants to investigate effects of malnutrition on the academic performance of students in senior secondary school in Northern Nigeria

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study are;

1. To ascertain the effects of malnutrition on academic performance of students in secondary school in Northern Nigeria
2. To ascertain the relationship between malnutrition and academic performance of students
3. To examine the causes of malnutrition in the Northern part of Nigeria
4. To enlighten the people with the consequences of malnutrition

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀: There are no effects of malnutrition on academic performance of students in secondary school in Northern Nigeria

H₁: There are no effects of malnutrition on academic performance of students in secondary school in Northern Nigeria

H₀²: there are no causes of malnutrition in the Northern part of Nigeria.

H₂: there are causes of malnutrition in the Northern part of Nigeria.

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 

This research helps the children/parents to know what malnutrition and their symptoms is all about, how they can prevent malnutrition and cater for those who are malnourished and the effect on academic performance of students. This study will help to enlighten the parents/guardian the functions of good nutritional diet and the consequences of ignoring good diet. This research will also help to know the causes and problems facing malnutrition in our society and how we can tackle it.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers effects of malnutrition on the academic performance of students in senior secondary school in Northern Nigeria. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Malnutrition: Malnutrition, Malnourished, sick person’s people suffering from deficiency.

 Nutrition: This is the series of process by which the living organism obtain food substance needed to produce energy and materials for their growth, activities and reproduction