NCCK Pushes for Nutrition Education to Be Taught and Tested in National Exams

NCCK Pushes for Nutrition Education to Be Taught and Tested in National Exams.

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has proposed that nutrition be formally integrated into the national education curriculum and be included in national examinations.

The council recommended that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), along with other academic and regulatory bodies, ensure the subject is taught and assessed in schools. They believe that building a nutrition-competent society would significantly reduce both household and national healthcare spending.

Beyond advocating for curriculum changes, NCCK plans to mobilize churches across the country to establish learning forums aimed at educating the public on proper dietary habits. These forums will target congregants and the wider community, aiming to enhance awareness on the impact of nutrition on health, particularly in the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

The council has also called on the government to strictly regulate advertisements promoting foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats. These products, commonly marketed to children, often use child-appealing characters, which NCCK believes should be prohibited.

They have emphasized that such advertisements should not be broadcast during watershed hours, when children are most likely to be watching, to shield them from the early adoption of poor dietary habits.

National Health Impact of NCDs

NCCK highlighted data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), which shows that NCDs account for 31% of all deaths and more than 50% of hospital admissions in Kenya.

Delegates from counties including Embu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Nyeri, Laikipia, and Nyandarua noted that managing a single NCD case in outpatient care can cost patients up to KSh 150,000 annually. Given this financial burden, they urged the Health Cabinet Secretary to declare NCDs a national disaster and implement protective frameworks.

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The council has further encouraged food manufacturers to adopt front-of-pack warning labels for processed foods, to ensure consumers can easily identify items containing harmful ingredients.

They also pressed the Ministry of Health to treat the 27% NCD prevalence rate with the urgency it deserves, arguing that the pressure these diseases exert on both families and the national healthcare system requires immediate attention.

NCCK Pushes for Nutrition Education to Be Taught and Tested in National Exams.

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