Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to assess the basic
nutrition knowledge of Home Economics teachers and school
caterers in Kenyan secondary schools in the Central
Province.
Research findings on nutrition and health in Kenya
indicate there is a need to intensify nutrition education.
About one-half of the Kenyan population is under the age of
20 years, and most of them will pass through the formal
education system. The educators in the schools could be the
appropriate agents to promote nutrition education through
the primary health care approach, arrd reach the majority of
the population in the 90's and beyond. The primary health
care approach is preventive in nature and involves enabling
individuals to broaden their understanding of their living
conditions and to develop skills to solve problems, make
decisions, and improve the quality of their lives.
The information required was collected by means of
questionnaires and interviews completed by the Home
Economics teachers and School-caterers in 39 schools between
September and November, 19.91. The response rate was 97.9%
from the Home Economics teachers and 100% from the school
caterers.
The results show that the basic nutrition knowledge of
the majority of the respondents was acceptable. There was
ii
no significant difference between the knowledge levels of
the teachers and the caterers. The certificate level of the
teachers did not influence their basic nutrition knowledge.
The majority of the respondents had little professional
development beyond their degrees and certificates and
expressed a need for programs that could be used to provide
current nutrition information. In addition, some of the
resource materials used by the Home Economics teachers in
the classrooms were outdated and/or not relevant to the need
of the Kenyan population. Most of the resources did not
address the application of nutrition knowledge in the Kenyan
context which is an essential component of any successful
nutrition education program.
The author made a number of recommendations to improve
nutrition education in Kenyan secondary schools
