Introduction Malnutrition as defined is the lack of a sufficient quantity or quality of nutrients to maintain the body system at some definable level of functioning. It has been estimated that 37-80 percent of all pre-school children in the developing countries like Philippines suffer from protein calorie malnutrition as assessed by the manifestation of syndromes, nutritional indexes, and weight deviations (Bengoa, 1974). Mild to moderate malnutrition, also called chronic under nutrition, is much more common than severe forms, and is often difficult to recognize. The severe forms are either due to insufficient protein and calories (marasmus) or to an acute protein loss or deprivation (kwashiorkor). At present, when increasing investment in our educational programs is being made to improve the performance of the schoolchildren however, to some extent this are being wasted. Children are not reaching their full intellectual potential consequently, predispose to school failure. In public elementary schools particularly the Kalibo Elementary School I, where malnutrition is prevalent among schoolchildren, it is observed that children has low attention-span, lack interest and decreased ability to focus on tasks, and restlessness. These likely to interfere with their learning ability and in this way resulted to their poor school performance. However, this has yet be proven, whether malnutrition impair the learning ability and school performance of schoolchildren. It is for this reason, necessary to study the effects of malnutrition on the learning ability and school performance of schoolchildren.
Malnutrition and School Performance Unfortunately, very few studies have been made concerning the direct effect of early malnutrition on school performance. The findings in those that have been carried out indicate that both chronic under nutrition and severe clinical