Association calls for promotion of home economics in 2nd, tertiary institutions

Published in the Daily Graphic on 13/02/2010, pg 19

Story: Matilda Attram
THE Ghana Home Economics Association (GHEA) has called for the promotion of home economics as a course of study in second cycle and tertiary institutions in Ghana.
It said although home economics was a course that encompassed all disciplines in the educational sector, it was not much appreciated.
The President of GHEA, Mrs Veronica Jackson, made the call at a press conference in Accra prior to the annual celebration of the ‘World Home Economics Day’ which falls in March this year. It would be celebrated in March on the theme, “Home Economics beyond 100 years - empowering for the digital world”.
Mrs Jackson called for the change in perception that home economics was all about cooking because the course entailed much more than cooking.
According to her, the course dealt with all aspects of an individual’s daily activities such as relationship with others, finance and resource management, consumerism, textiles and clothing, housing and environment and foods and nutrition.
“Home economics around the world focus on the fundamental needs and practical concerns of individuals and families in everyday life and their importance, both at the individual and community levels,” she said.
A past president of the association, Mrs Edith Francois, pointed out that home economics was a dynamic applied science based on all basic lessons taught in schools and therefore needed to be encouraged as an examinable course in educational institutions.
She stated that teachers and lecturers who taught home economics in educational institutions needed to be motivated to train the youth, since the course could earn one a private enterprise that would contribute to development.
She called on the government to continue to encourage the teaching and learning of life skills at the basic levels of education.
Giving a historic background on the association, a Human Resource Management (HRM) lecturer at the Central University College, Madam Enyonam Canice Kudonoo, stated that the association, which was established in the 1960’s, had hosted international conferences in the country.
An international gender consultant of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC), Mrs Jane Amavi, urged members of the association to make use of their training and contribute to activities that would promote development in the country.