Abstract:
Plantation communities in Sri Lanka are considered socio-economically and educationally
disadvantaged. Particularly, female students living in these communities face numerous
barriers to engaging in education. Education is a powerful tool that lays the foundation for
social advancement, especially for girls. Providing education to female students shapes the
basis for improving their quality of life and for enabling them to play a meaningful role in
society. Malnutrition of girls in primary grades in yatiyantota 1C schools is a challenge to
achieve excelling in education even the importance of education is well aware. The poor
nutritional status observed among primary-grade female students in these communities has
a significant impact on their educational outcomes and is recognized as a major social issue
in Sri Lanka. This study sociologically investigates the nutritional status of primary-grade
female students in four villages within the Yatiyantota urban area and examines its impact
on their learning development. The study explores the current nutritional conditions of these
students, the contributing factors to undernutrition, and proposes recommendations to
improve their nutritional status. The sample for this study was selected based on
convenience sampling. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach,
involving the observation of 40 students, questionnaires given to 20 primary-grade teachers
and 20 parents, and interviews with four school principals. Quantitative data were analyzed
descriptively using Excel, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis and
interpreted accordingly. According to the findings of the study, the nutritional status of
primary-grade female students in plantation communities is adversely affected by factors
such as low household income, poverty, poor dietary habits, lack of nutritional awareness,
low parental education levels, and large family size. These factors have contributed to
setbacks in the academic achievement levels of the students. The conclusions and
recommendations of the study highlight that by drawing attention from educationists, the
negative impacts of poor nutrition on the learning development of these students can be
mitigated.
