Stunting Fuels Poor Academic Performance

Children who experience stunted growth are more likely to struggle in school and contribute to the country's consistently low literacy rate, the Second Congressional Commission on Education warned.

- — With Jose Rodel Clapano

EDCOM 2 executive director Karol Mark Yee stressed that stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition, must be addressed in the first 1,000 days of life.

"By the time our children reach 25 months of age, stunting prevalence rises to up to 42 percent for the poorest and 11 percent for the richest," he said.

Experts note that stunted children often have lower IQ, poor concentration, slower learning rates, delayed language development and weaker problem-solving abilities.

These disadvantages result in frequent school absences, higher chances of grade repetition and reduced long-term productivity.

Yee explained that stunting can be prevented through proper nutrition, maternal care and holistic child health interventions.

However, he flagged the limited reach of existing government feeding programs.

Participation in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)'s Supplemental Feeding Program (SFP), for instance, remains low, reaching only 10 to 30 percent of children across regions.