Author(s): Dr. Alka

Abstract:
It is fact that the Formal education of mothers directly transfers health knowledge to future mothers, the literacy and nutritional knowledge that girls acquire in school, which enhance their ability to recognize illness, malnutrition and seek treatment for their children. Keeping in view the above said, the present study was carried out in urban slums of Hajipur town to assess the effect of mother’s education on the nutritional status and academic performance of the school-going girls. A total of 120 girls (Age group – 6 -12 years) who were residing in different slum areas of Hajipur town were selected for study through systematically random sampling. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. According to the data majority (48.33 percent) of the girls mothers have below high school education, while a large number of mothers (29.17 percent) were found illiterate. The present study showed that severe thinness of nutritional status was found more in girls of illiterate mothers (22.86 percent) in comparison of other qualification groups of mothers. Study found that mother’s education has a strong co-relation with the nutritional status of the school going girls in respect of BMI-for-age, and Weight-for-age. Present study concluded that the mother’s education had a strong impact on nutritional status and academic performance of school going girls.