Nutrition education incorporation into mainstream primary school curriculum in Ghana: Stakeholders’ sources of nutrition information and perceived barriers

Abstract

Introduction Nutrition literacy has been cited as a crucial life skill. Nutrition education as a primary school subject has been treated inconsequentially when compared to other subjects. We investigated an aspect of the current state of nutrition education in Ghana by engaging stakeholders about their sources of nutrition information and the perceived barriers in implementing nutrition education in mainstream primary schools. Methods Three hundred and fifty one (351) primary school children, 121 homebased caregivers, six schoolteachers, two headteachers, two Ghana Education Service (GES) officials, and six school cooks were involved in the study. Surveys were used to collect data on nutrition information acquisition behaviors and to record perceived barriers. Key Informant Interviews were conducted among GES officials, headteachers, schoolteachers and school cooks, while Focus Group Discussions were used among homebased caregivers and children to gather qualitative information. Results Only 36.3% of the primary school children had heard about nutrition, and 71% of those got nutrition information from their family members. About 70% of homebased caregivers had heard or seen nutrition messages, and their source of nutrition information was predominantly traditional media. Schoolteachers mostly received their nutrition information from non-governmental organizations and the Internet, while most of the school cooks stated their main source of nutrition information was hospital visits. Perceived barriers included schoolteachers’ knowledge insufficiency, and lack of resources to adequately deliver nutrition education. Lack of a clear policy appeared to be an additional barrier. Conclusion The barriers to the implementation of nutrition education in the mainstream curriculum at the primary school level that were identified in this study can be resolved by: providing schoolteachers with learning opportunities and adequate nutrition education resources for practical delivery, having specific national policy framework, and including family members and school cooks in the nutrition education knowledge and information dissemination process.

A school-based food and nutrition education intervention increases nutrition-related knowledge and fruit consumption among primary school children in northern Ghana

“…Notwithstanding these, there is evidence to demonstrate that nutrition education policies have not yielded the desired outcomes in the school setting for various reasons, including underfunding and inadequate appropriate teaching and learning resources and the use of inappropriate teaching and learning strategies [ 18 , 19 ]. In Ghana, many key barriers do not allow children to acquire healthy dietary and lifestyle habits during school, as evidenced by a recent study that explored barriers to implementing nutrition education in the basic school curriculum [ 20 ]. These barriers include inadequate nutrition education learning opportunities; lack of resources for practical, experiential delivery and active participation in nutrition education [ 20 ].…”

“…In Ghana, many key barriers do not allow children to acquire healthy dietary and lifestyle habits during school, as evidenced by a recent study that explored barriers to implementing nutrition education in the basic school curriculum [ 20 ]. These barriers include inadequate nutrition education learning opportunities; lack of resources for practical, experiential delivery and active participation in nutrition education [ 20 ]. Furthermore, teachers’ inadequate knowledge of nutrition, the nonexistence of an explicitly stated policy on nutrition education and the non-involvement of parents and family members in nutrition education sessions are some of the teething challenges [ 20 ].…”

“…These barriers include inadequate nutrition education learning opportunities; lack of resources for practical, experiential delivery and active participation in nutrition education [ 20 ]. Furthermore, teachers’ inadequate knowledge of nutrition, the nonexistence of an explicitly stated policy on nutrition education and the non-involvement of parents and family members in nutrition education sessions are some of the teething challenges [ 20 ]. We evaluated the effect of a school-based food and nutrition education (SFNE) intervention on the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, dietary habits, physical activity levels and the anthropometric indices (BMI-for-age z scores, %Body fat and waist circumference) of school-age children in northern Ghana.…”