Integrating nutrition education in South African high schools : insights and perspectives from Mpumalanga learners
| dc.contributor.advisor | Nyasha, Magadzire | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Scott, Drimie | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Amy, Bosworth | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Ngobeni, Freedom Uyanda | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-02-21T14:59:20Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-04-26T10:39:42Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-02-21T14:59:20Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-04-26T10:39:42Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | 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. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Verenigde Nasies se Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoel Twee streef daarna om honger en ondervoeding wereldwyd teen 2030 uit te wis. Dit is 'n enorme taak gegewe dat na raming twee miljard mense regoor die wereld nie betroubare toegang tot veilige en voedsame voedsel het nie, terwyl ~123 miljoen mense in Sub-Sahara Afrika ly aan hoe vlakke van ondervoeding, en ongeveer 20.4% van Suid-Afrikaners te kampe het met voedselonsekerheid. Voedingsopvoeding is geidentifiseer as 'n sleutelhefboom om honger en ondervoeding aan te spreek. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die stand van voedingsbegrip onder hoerskoolleerders in Suid-Afrika, met behulp van 'n Deelnemende Aksienavorsings (DAN) metodologie met gemengde metodes: opnames, leerderrefleksies, vraelyste en fokusgroepe. Die navorsing word aangedryf deur die behoefte om leerders se voedingskennis te evalueer, die impak van voeding-gebaseerde lesse te evalueer, en uitdagings en geleenthede te identifiseer vir die integrasie van voedingsopvoeding in die hoerskoolkurrikulum. Die studie onthul 'n gaping tussen leerders se waargenome en werklike stande van voedingskennis. Ten spyte van 'n hoe persentasie (90%) van leerders wat aanvanklike bewustheid van voeding beweer het, was aansienlike gapings sigbaar. Baie het gesukkel om tussen ondervoeding en behoorlike voeding te onderskei en om voedsame voedsel te identifiseer. Opmerklik het leerders hul voedingsinligting hoofsaaklik van eksterne media soos sosiale media en televisie gekry, eerder as van formele opvoedkundige platforms. Dit dui op 'n onderliggende probleem in die manier waarop voedingsinligting in opvoedkundige omgewings aangebied word. By die ondersoek na die impak van voeding-gebaseerde intervensies, was transformerende veranderings sigbaar. Leerders het nie net verbeterde kennis getoon in areas soos gebalanseerde eet en voedselgroepe nie, maar het ook beduidende gedragsveranderings vertoon. Hulle was meer geneig om gesonder voedselkeuses te maak, betrokke te raak by aktiwiteite soos tuinbou by die huis, en hul kennis onder mede-leerders en gesinne te deel. Hierdie veranderings dui op die diepgaande effek wat goed gestruktureerde, inligtende voedingslesse op leerders kan he. Die ondersoek na die integrasie van voedingsopvoeding binne die breer kurrikulum het beide hindernisse en geleenthede aan die lig gebring. Leerders het 'n voorkeur getoon vir praktiese en kultureel relevante leerervarings, terwyl die huidige kurrikulum bevind is dat dit nie voldoende omvattende voedingsopvoeding het nie. Dit beklemtoon die behoefte aan 'n paradigmaskuif in die manier waarop voeding in skole aangebied word, waar die belang van ervaringsleer en kultureel sensitiewe materiaal beklemtoon word. Ten slotte, die studie beklemtoon die geleentheid en noodsaaklikheid vir die integrasie van voeding-gebaseerde lesse in Suid-Afrikaanse hoerskole. Die doeltreffendheid van hierdie intervensies berus op hul kulturele sensitwiteit, gemeenskap-gesentreerde benadering, en vlak van kurrikulum-integrasie. Aanbevelings sluit 'n gefokusde benadering tot voedingsopvoeding, langtermynintervensies, en kurrikulumhervormings in. Sulke maatreels kan nie net leerders se voedingsgeletterdheid verbeter nie, maar ook bydra tot 'n gesonder, meer ingeligte samelewing. Die bevindinge van die studie is instrumenteel vir opvoedkundige beleidsmakers, onderwysers, en praktisyns wat streef na verreiking van voedingsopvoeding en die bevordering van gesonder lewenstylle onder leerders, en dus die breer samelewingsgesondheid en welstand uitdaag. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | |
| dc.format.extent | xiii, 184 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130247 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Nutrition -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Mpumalanga (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | High schools -- Curricula -- Mpumalanga (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | High schools -- Curricula -- Mpumalanga (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.name | UCTD | |
| dc.title | Integrating nutrition education in South African high schools : insights and perspectives from Mpumalanga learners | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |
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