Die effek van voeding op leerderprestasie was al die onderwerp van menige studie. Bewyse
wat die oorsaaklike verhouding tussen voeding en prestasie staaf, bestaan egter nie. Op
nasionale vlak belê die Departement van Basiese Onderwys tyd, moeite en geldelike
hulpbronne in ’n Nasionale Skoolvoedingsprogram in ’n poging om die gesondheid van Suid-
Afrika se armste leerders te beskerm en om ’n bydrae tot hul opvoeding te maak. Teen hierdie
agtergrond ondersoek die huidige studie patrone in die leesgeletterd van graad 4-leerlinge,
wat geassosieer word met die response van onderwysers oor leerdervoeding, deur gebruik
te maak van die Suid-Afrikaanse data van die Pre-Progress in International Reading Literacy
Study (prePIRLS) 2011. Volledige verslae van onderwysers oor die mate waartoe onderrig
beϊnvloed word deur leerders se gebrek aan basiese voeding word aangebied, terwyl verslae
van onderwysers volgens taalgroep ook oorweeg word in ’n poging om beter insig te verkry
in patrone van prestasie op ’n gedisaggregeerde vlak. Resultate vir die huidige studie bevestig
bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat ’n oorsaaklike verband tussen voeding en leesprestasie nie
sonder twyfel vasgestel kan word nie. Nieteenstaande die gebrek aan oorsaaklike bewyse,
behoort nasionale skoolvoedingsprogramme egter nie gediskrediteer of gestaak te word nie.
Sulke programme kan moontlik juis van waarde wees wanneer realistiese doelwitte gestel
word met die oog op verbeterde ondersteuning vir leerders.
The effect of nutrition on learner achievement has been the subject of many studies. Inconclusive
evidence of the effect of nutrition on achievement and more specifically the causal relationship
between nutrition and achievement exists, thereby emphasising the complex nature of the
relationship. At national level, the Department of Basic Education invests time, effort and
monetary resources in a National School Nutrition Programme in efforts to safeguard the
health of South Africa’s poorest learners in attempts to make a contribution to their education.
Against this background, this paper explores patterns in Grade 4 reading literacy achievement
that is associated with teacher reports of learner nutrition by making use of the preProgress
in International Reading Literacy Study (prePIRLS) 2011 South African data. Comprehensive
teacher reports on the extent to which teaching is affected by learners’ lack of basic nutrition
are presented, while teacher reports according to language group are also presented in
attempts to gain better insights in patterns of achievement at a disaggregated level. Results
for the current study support existing literature, namely that a causal link between nutrition
and reading literacy achievement cannot be confirmed beyond doubt. National school feeding
schemes should neither be discredited nor stopped despite the lack of such causal evidence.
Such programmes could in fact be of value if realistic targets are set with a view to improved
support for learners.
