Exploring the Cognitive Readiness of Selected Kindergarten Learners with Undernutrition Status in Napo Elementary School: A Case Study
Keywords:
undernutrition, cognitive readiness, kindergarten, LITNUM, ECCD, convergent parallel mixed-methods, PhilippinesAbstract
Childhood undernutrition remains a critical barrier to early school readiness in the Philippines. This convergent parallel mixed-methods case study profiled the cognitive readiness of 15 selected undernourished Kindergarten learners in Napo Elementary School for School Year 2026–2027, including 15 parents and 2 teachers. Quantitative measures included BMI, Literacy and Numeracy (LITNUM) Diagnostic Tool under the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP), and the Philippine Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Checklist across seven domains. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Baseline health screening revealed that 100% of the cohort suffered acute malnutrition, with 93.3% classified as Wasted and 6.7% as Severely Wasted, manifesting as mid-morning fatigue, short attention spans, and low physical stamina. Following a three-month integrated intervention comprising the 120-day School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), concrete manipulative-based instruction, and home-school scaffolding, literacy proficiency improved significantly from 100% at Beginning level to 73.3% at Developing level (Exact McNemar p=.0010). Numeracy showed similar gains from 86.7% Beginning to 73.3% Developing (p=.0039). ECCD Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests with Holm correction showed significant improvements in Cognitive (median 18.00 to 19.00, p=.0210), Self-Help (21.00 to 22.00, p=.0306), and Social-Emotional domains (20.00 to 21.00, p=.0335), while Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Receptive and Expressive Language showed non-significant median changes but qualitative breakthroughs. Joint display triangulation confirmed complementary convergence: absolute anthropometric gains improved energy for learning, concrete materials mediated literacy and numeracy breakthroughs, and elimination of Significant Delay in Self-Help reflected new autonomy. Findings support the Institutionalized Nutritional Monitoring and Assessment Program (INMAP) integrating nutrition, differentiated instruction, and parent empowerment to sustain cognitive readiness.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Jenelyn N. Abella, Kaitlin Marie M. Opingo, Dev. Ed. D., Michael R. Cangayao,Ed.D.-ECE,Ed.D.-EM, Cristie Ann L. Jaca, Ph. D.,Dev.Ed.D., Margie D. Fulgencio, Dev.Ed.D., Reyland G. Capuno, Ph.D.,Dev.Ed.D., Roberto L. Suson, Ph.D., Dev.Ed.D,, Regina E. Sitoy, Dev.Ed.D. (Author)
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