Malnutrition as a Barrier to Quality Education: A Sociological Perspective from the Drought-Affected Areas of Tharparkar

Abstract

This research was intended to determine the incidences of malnutrition and its effects on the academic performance of primary school students in Tharparkar District, Sindh, Pakistan. Almost half of Sindh's children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition, a condition that is very common in the province.  Two hundred children between the age group 10 and 13 years were chosen in vulnerable communities where malnutrition is very much common. Anthropometric data was measured on the height of the participants, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) according to the WHO (2007) standards. The study established that most of the students were stunted, underweight and wasted. The ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) was used to measure academic competence in reading, writing, and comprehension. The findings revealed that most students were able to read and write letters or words but had a challenge with sentences and paragraphs and simple arithmetic operations. Malnutrition was found to have a considerable correlation with poor academic performance, which proves that poor nutritional condition impacts negatively on learning capability, focus and academic performance. The qualitative interviews of teachers, parents, and headteachers also revealed the problems of poverty, food insecurity, and lack of hygiene awareness. It concludes that malnutrition is one of the key obstacles to educational development at Tharparkar and suggests sustainable, open and community-driven strategies to enhance the nutritional status and educational performance of rural schools in Sindh.