THE SEVERELY WASTED ELEMENTARY STUDENTS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

Children who do not consume enough of the essential nutrients in their diets are severely wasted. These people might not be able to do well in school. In Proculo Fuentes Sr. Elementary School, there are five students identified as severely wasted for the past three consecutive school years. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to explore the experiences, challenges, and the effects of malnutrition, and the recommendations that the five severely wasted elementary students. Using the In-depth Interview (IDI), the data were collected from students and it was revealed that malnutrition has affected the health of the participants which contributed to their low academic performance. They were already aware at a young age that their height and weight set apart from others. They still want to learn in school, despite everything. However, they found it challenging to study at school, particularly when it came to understanding lessons due to poor nutrition. They also recommended that their parents should cook nutritious food for their children and that the Joint School Feeding Program should be conducted. Therefore, the school, parents, and community need to work together to find a solution for the identified malnourished students.