School of Public Leadership

Permanent URI for this community

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/79

Browse

Browsing School of Public Leadership by browse.metadata.advisor "Amy, Bosworth"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Integrating nutrition education in South African high schools : insights and perspectives from Mpumalanga learners
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Ngobeni, Freedom Uyanda; Nyasha, Magadzire; Scott, Drimie; Amy, Bosworth; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal Two aims to eradicate hunger and malnutrition worldwide by 2030. This is an immense task given that an estimated two billion people around the globe lack reliable access to safe and nutritious food, while ~123 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from high levels of malnutrition, and around 20.4% of South Africans face food insecurity.. Nutrition education has been identified as a key leverage point for addressing hunger and malnutrition., This thesis investigates the state of nutritional understanding among high school learners in South Africa, employing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology with mixed methods: surveys, learner reflections, questionnaires, and focus groups. The research is driven by the need to assess learners’ nutritional knowledge, evaluate the impact of nutrition-based lessons, and identify challenges and opportunities for integrating nutrition education into the high-school curriculum. The study reveals a discrepancy between learners’ perceived and actual states of nutritional knowledge. Despite a high percentage (90%) of learners claiming initial awareness of nutrition, substantial gaps were evident. Many struggled to differentiate between malnutrition and proper nutrition and to identify nutritious foods. Notably, learners primarily sourced their nutritional information from external media such as social media and television, rather than formal educational platforms. This points to an underlying issue in the way nutritional information is taught in educational settings. When exploring the impact of nutrition-based interventions, transformative changes were evident. Learners not only showed improved knowledge in areas such as balanced eating and food groups but also exhibited significant behavioral changes. They were more inclined to make healthier food choices, engage in activities like home gardening, and share their knowledge among peers and family. These changes indicate the profound effect that well-structured, informative nutrition lessons can have on learners. The investigation into the integration of nutrition education within the broader curriculum uncovered both barriers and opportunities. Learners showed a preference for practical and culturally relevant learning experiences, while the current curriculum was found to lack sufficiently comprehensive nutrition education. This highlights the need for a paradigm shift in how nutrition is taught in schools, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and culturally sensitive materials. In conclusion, the study highlights the opportunity and necessity for integrating nutrition-based lessons in South African high schools. The effectiveness of these interventions relies on their cultural sensitivity, community-centric approach, and level of curriculum integration. Recommendations include a focused approach to nutritional education, long-term interventions, and curriculum reforms. Such measures could not only enhance learners’ nutritional literacy but also contribute to a healthier, more informed society. The study’s findings are instrumental for educational policymakers, teachers, and practitioners aiming to enrich nutrition education and advocate for healthier lifestyles among learners, thus addressing broader societal health and wellbeing challenges.